keynote
Americannoun
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keynotes
plural
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Music. the note or tone on which a key or system of tones is founded; the tonic.
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the main idea or central principle of a speech, program, thought, action, etc.
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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.
verb (used with object)
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to announce the policy of (a political party, campaign, assembly, etc.); deliver a keynote address at.
The governor will keynote the convention.
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to serve as the keynote for.
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Music. to give the keynote of.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a central or determining principle in a speech, literary work, etc
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( as modifier )
a keynote speech
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the note upon which a scale or key is based; tonic
verb
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to deliver a keynote address to (a political convention, etc)
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to outline (political issues, policy, etc) in or as in a keynote address
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of keynote
Explanation
A keynote is "the leading note in a musical key," and that meaning has spread to include the leading theme or idea in almost anything. For example, a keynote speaker at a conference includes this central subject in her speech. You're most likely to find the word keynote followed by "speech," "address," or "speaker." The central keynote theme is often presented right at the beginning of a conference or seminar. Another meaning of keynote is "the leading note in a musical key." When you play a scale on the piano, the first, lowest, note is the keynote. This musical meaning dates from the mid-1700s, and the phrase "keynote address" was first used in 1905.
Vocabulary lists containing keynote
"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 33
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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.
See Examples For:
Apple showed off the new capabilities in June during the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 7, 2026
In his keynote address at the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium, Warsh discussed his views on the current economic conditions.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
The dollar was steady, awaiting new impetus from Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh’s keynote speech at Jackson Hole later Friday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
In one of his relatively rare major public appearances, Harry also delivered the keynote address at an informal meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York in 2022, marking Nelson Mandela International Day.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Groves returned the favor by delivering the keynote at the presentation of Lawrence’s Presidential Medal in 1946, declaring, “We bet a hundred million on him and won.”
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
The festival features independent debate within the television industry, with more than 60 keynotes, debates, and masterclasses.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
"We design the keynotes so that the big reveal of the product happens around 40 minutes into the presentation," Forstall said.
From Barron's ● Mar. 29, 2026
He plays a key role in the creation of company keynotes, which used to be live, but since the pandemic have been taped.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 25, 2025
The adjacent Content Summit takes a diverse approach to the current state of the industry with workshops, keynotes, and networking events.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 22, 2023
From campus visits to conference keynotes, I was getting invitations from all across the United States.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Earlier this month, Zhora keynoted the Cyberwarcon cybersecurity conference outside Washington.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 20, 2023
Booker’s two-day swing – where he keynoted a state Democratic Party 2018 midterm election victory celebration and headlined three jam-packed house parties – appeared to be a tune-up for things to come.
From Fox News ● Dec. 28, 2018
“It’s a great event that Hillary Clinton and Arianna Huffington have keynoted in the past,” Mr. Rosen wrote, echoing a similar message from Ms. Brosnahan.
From New York Times ● Nov. 4, 2015
A little bit later, at a luncheon keynoted by Gov.
From Slate ● Dec. 8, 2011
The organization decided to launch partnerships with groups like the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities; Kopp keynoted the council's 2010 conference.
From Time ● Jun. 1, 2010
A: I was keynoting a large financial services conference, and the panel before mine was something about loan syndication, far outside my domain expertise.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 3, 2023
Biden also spent the 1970s and 1980s traveling the country and keynoting Democratic functions.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 19, 2022
Senator Kamala Harris of California is in Ohio this weekend, where she is keynoting the Ohio Democratic Party’s state dinner.
From New York Times ● Oct. 7, 2018
Fittingly, Trump seems to have developed his fixation on ratings while working on The Apprentice, a connection he acknowledged while keynoting a 2014 National Press Club luncheon.
From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2016
In the last 18 months alone, the elder Cruz has spoken at more than 60 pastors’ conferences, not including keynoting dozens of local Republican chapter dinners, home-school events and official campaign stops.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 27, 2015
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
