keynote

[kee-noht]

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noun

Music. the note or tone on which a key or system of tones is founded; the tonic.

the main idea or central principle of a speech, program, thought, action, etc.

the policy line to be followed, as by a party in a political campaign, that is set forth authoritatively in advance by an address or other formal announcement.

keynote address.

verb (used with object), key·not·ed, key·not·ing.

to announce the policy of (a political party, campaign, assembly, etc.); deliver a keynote address at: The governor will keynote the convention.

to serve as the keynote for.

Music. to give the keynote of.

verb (used without object), key·not·ed, key·not·ing.

to provide a keynote, especially a keynote address: He refused an invitation to keynote.

Origin of keynote

First recorded in 1755–65; key¹ + note

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for keynote

kernel, heart, essence, idea, motive, measure, nub, basis, source, keystone, spring, criterion, core, gist, standard, crux, marrow, cornerstone, substance, center

Examples from the Web for keynote

Contemporary Examples of keynote

I flew to Peru to hear her give a keynote speech at an international conference.
The Real-Life Raiders of the Lost Ark
Alex Belth
November 14, 2014
To this end, CAIR has invited Rev. Al Sharpton to be the keynote speaker at its 20th anniversary dinner to be held next month.
Michael Brown, Gaza, and Muslim Americans
Dean Obeidallah
August 20, 2014
But Pence, who was slated to keynote this conference in just a few minutes?
Mike Pence, Dark Horse in Training for 2016
David Freedlander
June 27, 2014
He was a soaring star from the moment he finished his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
No One’s Going to Challenge Hillary Clinton
Robert Shrum
May 10, 2014
One of the keynote speakers at the CCCU conference is David Kinnaman, the president of the Barna Group.
How Creationism Hurts Christian Colleges—And Their Students
Karl W. Giberson
February 13, 2014

Historical Examples of keynote

At any rate, this is the keynote of the tragedy, which is struck again and again.
The Man Shakespeare
Frank Harris
The persistent aim after perfection should be the keynote of every life.
Italy, the Magic Land
Lilian Whiting
Space will permit only the keynote of these courageous speeches.
The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume IV
Various
It was the keynote of Greek architecture throughout its finest period.
The Legacy of Greece
Various
An instrument on which the keynote is strummed to accompany singing.
My Reminiscences
Rabindranath Tagore

British Dictionary definitions for keynote

keynote

noun

a central or determining principle in a speech, literary work, etc
(as modifier)a keynote speech

the note upon which a scale or key is based; tonic

verb (tr)

to deliver a keynote address to (a political convention, etc)

to outline (political issues, policy, etc) in or as in a keynote address

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

Word Origin and History for keynote

also key-note, "lowest note of a musical scale, basis of a scale," 1776, from key (n.1) in sense of "musical scale" + note (n.). Figurative sense of "leading idea" is from 1783; keynote address is 1905, American English.