password

American  

[pas-wurd, pahs-] / ˈpæsˌwɜrd, ˈpɑs- /

noun

1. a secret word or expression used by authorized persons to prove their right to access, information, etc.

   Synonyms:

   watchword

2. a word or other string of characters, sometimes kept secret or confidential, that must be supplied by a user in order to gain full or partial access to a computer, computer system, or electronic device.

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password British  

/ ˈpɑːsˌwɜːd /

noun

1. a secret word, phrase, etc, that ensures admission or acceptance by proving identity, membership, etc

2. an action, quality, etc, that gains admission or acceptance

3. a sequence of characters used to gain access to a computer system

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Etymology

Origin of password

First recorded in 1810–20; pass + word

Explanation

A password is a word — or a series of letters or numbers — that's kept secret. You might need a password to get into your brother's clubhouse or to use your friend's laptop. During World War II, soldiers used passwords to enter guarded areas; these were words or phrases (and responses) that only other Allied soldiers knew. Today, you're more likely to use a password for protecting an electronic device, for withdrawing money from a bank machine, or for logging into your email or social media account. The original meaning of password, from the late 1700s, was "word used to distinguish friend from foe."

Example Sentences

Developers usually use an API key, which works like a password, to access AI models.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

She said she had called into school to get her password changed to let her log back on and use revision worksheets teachers had prepared.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

NordVPN also offers threat protection and a password manager for those seeking additional security features.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

Set up automatic transfers into bank accounts, use password managers to access your online accounts and boost your computer data security with antivirus software and other precautionary steps.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

I log on, type in my password, M-A-N-G-O, and wait for the connection to go through.

From "A Mango-Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass

Related Words

• identification