Where does “keystring” come from?

keystring (English) comes from English string, from Middle English string, from Old English streng, from Proto-Germanic strangiz, from Proto-Indo-European strengʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European ster- — sterile, infertile.

keystring (English): Any string#Noun of character#Noun that has key#Adjective (high) importance, such as a keyword#Noun or a keyphrase#Noun, but not necessarily a word in all senses of that term (as for example a phone number, an alphanumeric or numeric sequence, or string of symbol#Noun)

Definitions

  1. Any string#Noun of character#Noun that has key#Adjective (high) importance, such as a keyword#Noun or a keyphrase#Noun, but not necessarily a word in all senses of that term (as for example a phone number, an alphanumeric or numeric sequence, or string of symbol#Noun)

Ancestry of “keystring”, step by step

keystring traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English string

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstringA long, thin and flexible structure made from...
2Middle Englishstring—
3Old Englishstrengstring
4Proto-Germanicstrangizstring
5Proto-Indo-Europeanstrengʰ-to twist; rope, cord
6Proto-Indo-Europeanster-sterile, infertile

via English key

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishkeyAn object designed to open and close a lock; An...
2EnglishcayA small, low island largely made of sand or coral
3SpanishCayokey island
4Taínocayosmall island
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ster- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European strengʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic strangiz →