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

“I’ve never given the password to log into this account,” Olson said to Gemini.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

He found he had been signed out of his account and had to change his password, but had been unable to contact his teachers online through the school account.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

NordVPN includes additional tools such as Threat Protection, dark web monitoring and a password manager called NordPass.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

I changed the email and password associated with my PayPal account.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026

I scramble to Deval’s laptop, but it’s password protected.

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali

Related Words

• identification