catchword

American  

[kach-wurd] / ˈkætʃˌwɜrd /

noun

1. a memorable or effective word or phrase that is repeated so often that it becomes a slogan, as in a political campaign or in advertising a product.

2. Also called headword, guide word.  a word printed at the top of a page in a dictionary or other reference book to indicate the first or last entry or article on that page.

3. a device, used especially in old books, to assist the binder in assembling signatures by inserting at the foot of each page the first word of the following page.

4. keyword.

---

catchword British  

/ ˈkætʃˌwɜːd /

noun

1. a word or phrase made temporarily popular, esp by a political campaign; slogan

2. a word printed as a running head in a reference book

3. theatre an actor's cue to speak or enter

4. the first word of a printed or typewritten page repeated at the bottom of the page preceding

---

Etymology

Origin of catchword

First recorded in 1720–30; catch + word

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

catchword

“Finlandization,” in fact, became a catchword during the Cold War for a small nation carefully moderating its security policies so as not to anger a larger, hostile neighbor.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 13, 2022

A shibboleth is a catchword or slogan identifying a particular group.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 29, 2019

I think a lot of people are jumping onto it as a catchword and making people think they have a “gee-wiz” material, like this glasses company I saw saying they have graphene in the glasses.

From The Verge ● Jan. 24, 2018

“Watergate” was a catchword for a multitude of government and political sins.

From New York Times ● Oct. 19, 2014

The legendary nature of Rome, as mistress of the world, appealed also to many Italians, and 'Rome' became the catchword of liberty.

From Ave Roma Immortalis, Vol. 2 Studies from the Chronicles of Rome by F. Marion (Francis Marion) Crawford