Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “keyword” come from?

Keyword derives from English word and worth, Spanish cayo, Proto-Germanic wurdą, and Proto-Indo-European wer-, originally meaning to turn or bend.

keyword (English): Any word used as the key to a code; Any word used...

Definitions

  1. Any word used as the key to a code; Any word used...

Ancestry of “keyword”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWordScripture; The Bible; The creative word of God;...
2EnglishworthHaving a value of; proper to be exchanged for;...
3EnglishworthwhileGood and important enough to spend time, effort,...
4EnglishwhileAn uncertain duration of time, a period of time;...
5Middle Englishwhyle—
6Old Englishhwīltime; while; while; time, while
7Proto-West Germanichwīluperiod of rest, pause; time, period of time,...
8Proto-Germanichwīlōtime, period of time, while; period of rest,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeankʷyeh₁-to rest; rest, peace
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷyeh₁- →