keyboard

American  

[kee-bawrd] / ˈkiˌbɔrd /

noun

• keyboards
  plural

1. the row or set of keys on a piano, organ, or the like.

   I was playing piano before my feet could reach the pedals or my fingers could cover a chord on the keyboard.

2. a set of keys, usually arranged in tiers, for operating a typewriter, computer, cash register, or the like, or a digital representation of the same on a touchscreen used to type on a device such as a smartphone or tablet.

   I spilled coffee on my keyboard, and now the return key sticks so my documents are full of extra line breaks.

3. any of various musical instruments played by means of a pianolike keyboard, as a piano, electric piano, or organ.

   You basically need four people to start a rock band—someone on lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, and keyboard.

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verb (used with or without object)

• keyboards,
  present (3rd person singular)
• keyboarded,
  past participle,  past
• keyboarding
  present participle

1. Also key in to enter (data) into a computer by means of a keyboard.

   If you can get changes keyboarded by Monday, we should still be able to make the project deadline.

2. to set (text) in type, using a machine that is operated by a keyboard.

keyboard British  

/ ˈkiːˌbɔːd /

noun

1. 1. a complete set of keys, usually hand-operated, as on a piano, organ, typewriter, or typesetting machine

   2. ( as modifier )

      a keyboard instrument

2. (often plural) a musical instrument, esp an electronic one, played by means of a keyboard

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verb

1. to set (a text, etc) in type, onto magnetic tape, or into some other medium, by using a keyboard machine

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• keyboarder
  noun
• keyboardist
  noun
• rekeyboard
  verb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• keyboards
  plural

Participles

• keyboarding
  present
• keyboarded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• keyboard
  simple
• keyboards
  simple
• have keyboarded
  perfect
• has keyboarded
  perfect
• am keyboarding
  progressive
• are keyboarding
  progressive
• is keyboarding
  progressive
• have been keyboarding
  perfect progressive
• has been keyboarding
  perfect progressive

Past

• keyboarded
  simple
• had keyboarded
  perfect
• was keyboarding
  progressive
• were keyboarding
  progressive
• had been keyboarding
  perfect progressive

Future

• will keyboard
  simple
• will have keyboarded
  perfect
• will be keyboarding
  progressive
• will have been keyboarding
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of keyboard

First recorded in 1810–20; key ¹ + board

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Explanation

What do pianos and computers have in common? They both have keyboards! A computer keyboard has numbers and letters, but a piano keyboard has musical notes. The keyboard is the part that you press with your fingers. Besides the rockin’ keyboard of a synthesizer, piano, or organ, there is also the computer keyboard. This keyboard is used for typing, with the earliest examples being the keyboards on typewriters. Occasionally, the word keyboard is used as a verb, meaning "to type on keyboard." It’s also, literally, a board with little hooks to hang the other kind of keys on. The musical instrument meaning came first, around 1819.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

keyboard keyboards keyboarded keyboarding

Another example: On the iPad, you can make typing easier by splitting the keyboard in half with a quick move of your thumbs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

Another wild keyboard run was part of “Snakes For Dinner,” as Sanders led the crowd to clap along to Dailor’s thunderous drumbeat.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

Also, let’s shout out the perfect banjo intro courtesy of keyboard player Vijay Tellis-Nayak.

From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026

Meanwhile, with “In My Life,” listeners are treated to multiple takes in which Martin transforms the song’s Bach-like keyboard interlude from a Hammond organ solo into a piano flourish for the ages.

From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026

Kyle and his teammates huddled around a monitor while Miguel clacked the keyboard.

From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein

The group recorded three albums between 1971 and 1973, with Lunny playing bouzouki, guitar, keyboards and bodhrán throughout.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

Dozens of “staff members” fill rows of desks in the bullpen — some clack away on keyboards, others have phone receivers sandwiched between their head and shoulders while taking notes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Hall effect sensors are now widely used in technologies ranging from cars to computer keyboards.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 3, 2026

I pivoted my team of social-media writers, asking them to trade their keyboards for headsets while holding on to their signature eloquence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026

The constant hum of work filled the cavernous space — the clicking of fingers on keyboards.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

And by scrambled, I mean they waited ten months to replace the touchscreen with the keyboarded Q10.

From Forbes ● Nov. 7, 2013

Besides, I use the very tedious process of keyboarded voice modulation when I speak Utmano.

From Nature ● Feb. 1, 2012

Some students underperform on a high-stakes, timed test, while many lack fast and fluid handwriting skills — having moved to keyboarding.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2025

The program teaches eight different courses, including basic keyboarding skills, Microsoft Office, iPhone with VoiceOver/Siri, and refreshable braille displays.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 22, 2022

Those of us who took typing rather than keyboarding have had to unlearn a habit deeply entrenched.

From Fox News ● Apr. 30, 2020

During the latter 20th century, however, cursive writing began to lose standing in education, even as computer keyboarding gained traction.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 5, 2017

I had taken keyboarding in school the year before, and had gotten much better at it.

From "Doing Time Online" by Jan Siebold

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