keyword

/ˈkiː.wɜːd/

//ˈkiː.wɜːd// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"keyword" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“keyword” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #19,879. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#19,879
frequency rank, English
9,255
“K” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any word used as the key to a code.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

keyword vs keyboard
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for keyword
PropertyValue
Headwordkeyword
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkiː.wɜːd/
Letters7
Frequency rank#19,879
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “keyword” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). keyword lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around keyword (IPA /ˈkiː.wɜːd/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #19,879 among 9,255 “K” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for keyword, with forms such as "ekyword", "kewyord", and "keyowrd". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "keyboard", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From key + word. The correct English form is keyword, spelled K-E-Y-W-O-R-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any word used as the key to a code.
  2. 2
    Any word used in a reference work to link to other words or other information.
  3. 3
    Any important word in a text or document, which may be linked to other words or other information, or listed in the metadata for searches to find.
  4. 4
    A reserved word used to identify a specific command, function, etc.
  5. 5
    Any word that occurs in a text more often than normal.

Etymology

From key + word.

This word in other languages

clave(Español)mot-clé(Français)Schlüsselwort(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ekyword
  • kewyord
  • keyowrd
  • keywodr
  • keywordd
  • keyworrd
  • keywrod
  • keywword
  • keyyword
  • kkeyword
  • kyeword

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of keyword - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ekyword2kewyord2keyowrd2keywodr2keywordd1keyworrd1keywrod2keywword1
Edit distance from "keyword"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "keyword"?
"keyword" is spelled K-E-Y-W-O-R-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkiː.wɜːd/.
What does "keyword" mean?
As a noun, "keyword" means: Any word used as the key to a code.
What words are commonly confused with "keyword"?
"keyword" is commonly confused with "keyboard". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "keyword"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "keyword" is /ˈkiː.wɜːd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "keyword"?
From key + word. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “keyword”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is K-E-Y-W-O-R-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkiː.wɜːd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “keyboard” - see the side-by-side comparison. keyword vs keyboard
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list