trigger word

British  

noun

1. a word that initiates a process or course of action

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Example Sentences

The word “plastic” — the trigger word in the film “The Graduate” — was too temptingly easy even for writers of large reputation.

From Los Angeles Times

Amazon says its Alexa products are designed to record as little as possible, starting with the trigger word, “Alexa,” and stopping when the user’s command ends.

From Reuters

Donna Burkland, who grew up in evangelical churches in Orange County, Calif., told the group that she thought the word “evangelical,” even if it were used as simply part of the term “post-evangelical,” could be a trigger word for some people.

From Washington Post

Privatization has become a trigger word and a rallying cry for activists and politicians, not to mention opportunists, at both ends of the ideological spectrum, inflaming the Twittersphere and often obscuring what may be a nuanced and complicated reality for vulnerable populations like Gross and her fellow public housing residents.

From New York Times

The word "socialism" has become a trigger word in U.S. politics, with both positive and negative perceptions of it split along party lines.

From Salon