keyword

American  

[kee-wurd] / ˈkiˌwɜrd /

Or key word

noun

1. a word that serves as a key, as to the meaning of another word, a sentence, passage, or the like.

2. a word used to encipher or decipher a cryptogram, as a pattern for a transposition procedure or the basis for a complex substitution.

3. Also called catchword.  Library Science. a significant or memorable word or term in the title, abstract, or text of a document or other item being indexed, used as the index entry.

4. Digital Technology. a word used to classify or organize digital content, or to facilitate an online search for information.

   Search the database for the keyword “Ireland.”

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keyword British  

/ ˈkiːˌwɜːd /

noun

1. a word used as a key to a code

2. any significant word or phrase, esp a word used to describe the contents of a document

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Etymology

Origin of keyword

First recorded in 1855–60; key ¹ + word

Example Sentences

In one test, participants listened to lists of related words that were connected by a theme, but the central keyword tying them together was never spoken.

From Science Daily • Mar. 11, 2026

“On search, our AI features rely on our core search ranking systems that have been honed for years against activity like keyword stuffing,” says a Google spokesman.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

The show broadcast a message this week in the middle of an episode: "The keyword in Love Island is… Love. We love our fans. We love our Islanders. We don't love cyberbullying, harassment or hate."

From BBC • Jun. 28, 2025

Web of Science data show publications mentioning MTurk as a keyword went from 34 in 2010 to a peak of 989 in 2021.

From Science Magazine • May 9, 2024

Over the next two hours, William worked out that the messages must be based on two keyword ciphers.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield