keyword

[kee-wurd] /ˈkiˌwɜrd/

noun

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

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

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.

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.”.

Also, key word.

Origin

1855-60; key¹ + word

Examples from the web for keyword

Getting quizzed strengthens memory-jogging keyword clues.
keyword searches, for example, return many hits but offer a poor sense of overall trends.
On the other hand, it may be that you triggered some keyword threshold.
But the trend online is toward short, keyword-heavy descriptors that trade cleverness for clarity.
Auctioning keyword search-terms, which deliver sponsored links to advertisers' websites, has proved to be particularly lucrative.
The original audio files can then be found using keyword searches.
It uses keyword searches to turn up suspect websites.
keyword searching is one way to find what you are looking for.
Sustainability is the keyword: sustainable economy, sustainable production, sustainable consumption.
The reason is that keyword-only searches take you exactly where you want to go if you can figure out the keywords.

British Dictionary definitions for keyword

keyword

/ˈkiːˌwɜːd/

noun

a word used as a key to a code

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

Word Origin and History for keyword

also key-word, 1807, from key (n.1) + word (n.). Originally in reference to codes and ciphers.

keyword in Technology

1. One of a fixed set of symbols built into the syntax of a language. Typical keywords would be if, then, else, print, goto, while, switch. There are usually restrictions about reusing keywords as names for user-defined objects such as variables or procedures. Languages vary as to what is provided as a keyword and what is a library routine, for example some languages provide keywords for input/output operations whereas in others these are library routines.
2. A small set of words designed to convey the subject of a technical article. Some publications specify a fixed set of keywords from which those for a particular article should be chosen.