key

A small shaped piece of metal used to open or lock a door or start a vehicle.

• I lost my key.
• She turned the key in the lock.
• Have you seen my car keys?

Common phrases: door key, car key, spare key

A button on a computer or typing machine that you press to enter letters or commands.

• Press the Enter key.
• One key on my keyboard is broken.
• Hold down both keys to copy the text.

Similar words: button

Common phrases: enter key, press a key, shift key, escape key

A card or small electronic device that opens a lock.

• Tap your key against the reader.
• The hotel gave us two room keys.
• My electronic key no longer opens the garage.

Similar words: access card, key card

Common phrases: room key, electronic key, key card

One of the parts you press on a piano or similar instrument to make a sound.

• Press this piano key.
• Her fingers moved quickly across the keys.
• The organ has several rows of keys.

Common phrases: piano key, black key, white key

The main note and related set of notes around which a piece of music is built.

• This song is in a minor key.
• We changed the key to suit her voice.
• Can you play it in the key of G?

How to use it: in the key of something (The piece is in the key of D major.)

Similar words: tonality

Common phrases: key of c, major key, minor key

Very important to the way something works or succeeds.

• Sleep is a key part of good health.
• She played a key role in the project.
• We discussed the key issues at the meeting.

How to use it: key to something (Good communication is key to success.)

Similar words: important, crucial, major

Opposites: minor, unimportant

Common phrases: key role, key factor, key issue, key player

To enter information into a computer by pressing buttons on a keyboard.

• Please key in your password.
• She keyed the figures into a spreadsheet.
• Have you keyed in all the addresses?

How to use it: key something in (He keyed the code in carefully.); key something into something (She keyed the numbers into the computer.)

Similar words: type, enter, input

Common phrases: key in something, key something in, key into something

To deliberately damage a car or another surface by scratching it with a key or similar object.

• Someone keyed my car.
• His parked van was keyed overnight.
• The police caught a man keying vehicles outside the station.

Similar words: scratch

Common phrases: key a car, key someone’s car