a small piece of shaped metal or plastic used to lock and unlock a door, car, or other fastening
Sarah couldn't start her car because she had left the key at home.
The hotel receptionist handed me a plastic card instead of a traditional key.
✦ Old English “cǣg”, of unknown origin, meaning a device for locking; related to Dutch “kaai” and German “Käuel”.
one of the buttons you press on a computer keyboard, typewriter, or the long black and white pieces on a piano
Press the Enter key to start a new line.
Her fingers danced over the piano keys during the recital.
a list of answers or symbols that helps you understand a test, map, code, or puzzle
Use the color key on the map to see which areas are parks.
The teacher handed out the answer key after the quiz.
the most important thing that makes something happen or work
Practice is the key to learning a new language.
Good communication is the key to a happy marriage.
the set of musical notes that a piece of music is based on, shown by its starting note such as the key of C
This song is written in the key of G major.
She asked the band to change the key so she could sing it comfortably.
to put information into a computer or other electronic machine by pressing keys
Please key your password, then press Enter.
The cashier keyed the price into the register.
to deliberately scratch the paint on a car with a key
Someone keyed his brand-new car last night.
The angry teenager threatened to key the teacher's car.
a small, low island of sand or coral, especially in the Caribbean Sea or off the coast of Florida
They sailed to a tiny key off the coast of Florida.
Seabirds filled the air above the remote key.
✦ Variant spelling of “cay”, from Spanish “cayo”, originally Taíno, meaning a small island.
a large farm bird with a fan-shaped tail and a bald head, kept for its meat
The farmer raised several turkeys in a spacious pen behind the barn.
A flock of wild turkeys crossed the quiet road early in the morning.
✦ From the early 16th-century mistaken belief that the bird came from Turkey, via Spanish and Portuguese traders.
in bowling, a run of three strikes in succession
Jess cheered when she scored a turkey in the final frame.
Getting a turkey can quickly raise your bowling average.
✦ Bowling slang from the early 20th century, when alleys awarded a live turkey as a prize for three consecutive strikes.
a small or medium-sized tree-dwelling primate with a long tail, quick movements, and high intelligence
At the zoo, a monkey swung from branch to branch, making the children laugh.
The scientist watched a monkey use a stick to pull termites from a log.
✦ From Middle English monke, monky, from Old French monne or monaic, of uncertain origin but related to Old Italian monicchio.
British slang for five hundred pounds in money
He slapped a monkey on the counter and bought the vintage guitar.
Winning the bet earned her a cool monkey overnight.
✦ Origin uncertain; thought to arise in 19th-century British horse-racing circles, possibly connected to Indian rupee notes that bore a picture resembling a monkey.
to handle or interfere with something in a careless or playful way, often causing problems
Don’t monkey with the computer settings, or the program will crash.
He spent the afternoon monkeying with the old radio until it finally worked.
✦ From the noun “monkey,” likening careless human interference to a playful monkey’s behavior; first attested in American English in the early 20th century.
