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Definition of "keynote" []

  • The tonic of a musical key. (noun)
  • A prime underlying element or theme: "The keynote of the revolution settlement was personal freedom under the law” ( G.M. Trevelyan). (noun)
  • To give or set the keynote of. (verb-transitive)
  • Informal To give a keynote address at: keynoted the press luncheon. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "keynote" in a sentence
  • "Ok, the hype has passed, the keynote is done, Steve has spoken (enthusiastically) and we are suitably wowed (especially by the low entry level price point)."
  • "Dick Hardt's style during his OSCON 2005 keynote is also very engaging."
  • "But the salient feature of blogging, which Seth points out above re: the Pajamas Media keynote, is that the first small step one takes on the path to blogging is sucking up to the blog media."