keyboard

1 of 2

noun

key·​board ˈkē-ˌbȯrd 

1

a

: a bank of keys on a musical instrument (such as a piano) that usually consists of seven white and five raised black keys to the octave

b

: a musical instrument that is played by means of a keyboard

2

: a group of systematically arranged keys by which a machine or device is operated

a computer keyboard

3

: a board on which keys for locks are hung

keyboard

2 of 2

verb

keyboarded; keyboarding; keyboards

transitive verb

: to enter (data, text, etc.) by means of a keyboard

keyboard a manuscript

… he would like her to drop her copy off and have it keyboarded into the system by someone else.

—Margaret Atwood

intransitive verb

: to operate a machine (as for typesetting) by means of a keyboard

keyboarder noun

Examples of keyboard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Yet given his gifts (keyboard virtuoso, powerful soul voice, stellar dancer, able to craft a propulsive hook), why didn’t Billy Preston become a bigger star? —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 Nov. 2024

Each switch also features south-facing RGB LEDs for better keyboard illumination. —Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024

Verb

The aftermath of the shooting was disappointing but not surprising; though Megan was the victim, not the perpetrator of the violence, she was harassed and slandered by everyone from her peers in the industry to keyboard warriors on social media. —Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 7 Nov. 2023

Needless to say, this analogy was such a howler that many, many people besides just me took fingers to keyboard to lambaste Robert Bryce, the author of that OpEd. —Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 7 Oct. 2011

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1776, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1906, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing keyboard

• QWERTY keyboard

Kids Definition

keyboard

noun

key·​board

ˈkē-ˌbō(ə)rd,

-ˌbȯ(ə)rd

1

: a row or set of keys by which a musical instrument (as a piano) is played

2

: the whole arrangement of keys by which a machine (as a typewriter or computer) is operated