key (EN)

noun, adjective, verb

noun “key”

1. an object used to open and close a lock
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   She lost her key and couldn't unlock her front door.
2. a crucial step or requirement for achieving something
   The key to a successful garden is regular watering.
3. a guide that explains the symbols or terminology on a map or chart
   According to the map's key, the blue lines represent rivers and the green areas are forests.
4. a guide to the correct answers of a worksheet or test
   After finishing the quiz, the teacher handed out keys so everyone could check their answers.
5. a button on a typewriter or computer keyboard that corresponds to text characters
   To type a question mark, press the key next to the shift button.
6. a lever of a valve on a wind musical instrument
   When she pressed the keys on her flute, a beautiful melody filled the room.
7. a lever on a keyboard instrument pressed to produce a sound or note
   She pressed the keys on the piano gently, creating a soft melody.
8. a scale or group of pitches that forms the basis of a musical composition
   The song was composed in the key of C major, making it easy for beginners to play.
9. the lowest note of a scale in music
   In the scale of C major, the key is C because it sets the tone for the entire piece.
10. information used to encode or decode messages in cryptography
    To access the encrypted files, you'll need the correct digital key.
11. a field in a relational database used as an index into another table
    The customer ID serves as a key to link orders with the people who placed them.
12. a value that uniquely identifies an entry in a dictionary in programming
    To access your account information, you need to enter the correct security key.
13. a color selected to be made transparent in computer graphics or television
    In the video editing software, they used a green screen as the key to create the illusion that the actors were flying.

adjective “key”

1. extremely important or indispensable
   Regular exercise is a key component of a healthy lifestyle.

verb “key”

1. to enter information by typing on a keyboard or keypad
   She keyed her password into the computer to unlock it.
2. to vandalize by scratching with a sharp object
   Angry at his neighbor, Tom keyed a long scratch down the side of his shiny new sedan.
3. to mark or indicate with a symbol to show membership in a class
   In the survey results, she keyed the most frequent responses with a star (*) to easily identify patterns.
4. to modify an advertisement to target a specific group or demographic
   The marketing team keyed their online campaign towards teenagers by incorporating the latest slang and trends.