password

American  

[pas-wurd, pahs-] / ˈpæsˌwɜrd, ˈpɑs- /

noun

• passwords
  plural

1. a secret word or expression used by authorized persons to prove their right to access, information, etc.

   Synonyms:

   watchword

2. a word or other string of characters, sometimes kept secret or confidential, that must be supplied by a user in order to gain full or partial access to a computer, computer system, or electronic device.

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password British  

/ ˈpɑːsˌwɜːd /

noun

1. a secret word, phrase, etc, that ensures admission or acceptance by proving identity, membership, etc

2. an action, quality, etc, that gains admission or acceptance

3. a sequence of characters used to gain access to a computer system

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• passwords
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of password

First recorded in 1810–20; pass + word

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Explanation

A password is a word — or a series of letters or numbers — that's kept secret. You might need a password to get into your brother's clubhouse or to use your friend's laptop. During World War II, soldiers used passwords to enter guarded areas; these were words or phrases (and responses) that only other Allied soldiers knew. Today, you're more likely to use a password for protecting an electronic device, for withdrawing money from a bank machine, or for logging into your email or social media account. The original meaning of password, from the late 1700s, was "word used to distinguish friend from foe."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

password passwords

The letter arrived with a thumb drive purporting to contain the list of voters in question, and a handwritten note providing the password.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

An earlier audit of the museum’s security protocols found that the Louvre’s video surveillance and physical security systems relied on a weak password, “LOUVRE.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

They can also be misconfigurations -- for instance, if someone has used the same password for multiple services, or hasn't configured a database properly.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

Until then, it’s a good idea to keep your system software updated and use a strong password.

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026

She let out a wail and, without waiting for the password, swung forward to admit him.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

School opened on schedule on Tuesday, but students, families and staff had to reset more than 600,000 passwords.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

The stolen data did not include Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, financial account information, credit or debit card information or account passwords.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

Change passwords: It's worth updating your password, including across other sites that use the same one as your Asos account.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

Users should take control of the browser for any tasks involving money, passwords, account settings or messages sent in their name, says Katie Moussouris, chief executive of Luta Security.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

“Oh, let’s see…this week my sister put her phone through the dishwasher, my mom lost all her passwords, and a Norwegian prince wanted to leave his fortune to my cousin.”

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

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Related Words

• identification

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