keyhole
key·hole/ˈkiˌhoʊ̯l/noun, verb
keyhole is spelled K-E-Y-H-O-L-E: 7 letters and 2 syllables (key·hole). It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 35,748th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, keyhole means “The hole in a lock where the key is inserted and turns” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of keyhole is keyholes.
How many letters and syllables are in keyhole?
| Letters | 7: K-E-Y-H-O-L-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: key·hole |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 35,748th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is keyhole?
Keyhole appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 35,748th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce keyhole?
- US /ˈkiˌhoʊ̯l/
- US [ˈkʰɪi̯ˌhoʊ̯l]
Keyhole has 2 syllables, split key·hole in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vininn126-keyhole.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of keyhole
- keyholes plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- keyholing participle, present
- keyholed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does keyhole mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
The hole in a lock where the key is inserted and turns.
- 2
Any small opening resembling the hole for a key in shape or function; especially, one that gives a vista of, or access to, a space beyond.
- 3
A small incision through which surgical instruments can reach into an anatomic space beyond.
- 4
A circle cut out of a garment as a decorative effect, typically at the front or back neckline of a dress.
- 5
A hole or excavation in beams intended to be joined together, to receive the key that fastens them.
- 6
A mortise for a key or cotter.
- 7
A transient column of vapor or plasma formed when using high energy beams, such as lasers, for welding or cutting.
laser keyhole welding
- 8
A welding method in which a hole forms in the surface immediately ahead of the puddle in the direction of welding. The hole is filled as the weld progresses.
verb
- 1
To strike a target after wobbling in flight so that the long axis of the bullet does not follow the line of flight, typically due to insufficient spin resulting from the rifling in the barrel.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Keyhole in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense a hole to lock/unlock with a key:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | trou de la serrure |
| German | Schlüsselloch |
| Portuguese | fechadura, tranca |
| Spanish | ojo (de la cerradura), bocallave |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does keyhole come from?
From key + hole.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).