headword

American

[hed-wurd] / ˈhɛdˌwɜrd /

noun

a word, phrase, or the like, appearing as the heading of a chapter, dictionary or encyclopedia entry, etc.
catchword.
head.

headword British

/ ˈhɛdˌwɜːd /

noun

a key word placed at the beginning of a line, paragraph, etc, as in a dictionary entry

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of headword

First recorded in 1815–25; head + word

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Entries include lots of disparate parts: headword, pronunciation, cross-references, example sentences, etymology.

From Slate • Mar. 26, 2020

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023