key
gb/kˈi/ us/kˈi/
A1
English
~ 1500
kulcs, hangnem, billentyű, jelmagyarázat
NOUN
A1
1
kulcs
A1
Usage pattern:
a key to [something]
I can't find my house key anywhere.
Sehol sem találom a lakáskulcsomat.
She handed the car key to her son.
Odaadta a kocsikulcsot a fiának.
The janitor carries a large ring of keys.
He left the spare key under the doormat.
This key won’t fit the lock.
Learner examples
I have a key for my room.
Van kulcsom a szobámhoz.
This is the key to the door.
Ez az ajtó kulcsa.
Please give me the car key.
I lost my house key.
He has many keys on his ring.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'key' (the object) with 'key' meaning 'important'. Context usually makes the meaning clear.
Meaning
Device for opening or locking
Collocations
house key
|car key
|door key
|spare key
|key ring
Synonyms
passkey (A master key that can open multiple locks)
Antonyms
lock (The mechanism that prevents opening without a key)
Themes
daily life
|home
|security
|daily_life
|housing
|transportation
Definition
A small object used to open or lock something like a door or car.
A shaped piece of metal or other material used to operate the lock of a door, vehicle, container, etc.
NOUN
A2
2
kulcs
B1
Usage pattern:
the key to [something]
Hard work is the key to success.
A kemény munka a siker kulcsa.
Communication is the key to a good relationship.
A kommunikáció a jó kapcsolat kulcsa.
Understanding the problem is the key to solving it.
Planning ahead is the key to avoiding mistakes.
Trust is the key to teamwork.
Learner examples
Good health is the key to happiness.
A jó egészség a boldogság kulcsa.
Practice is the key to learning English.
A gyakorlás az angol nyelv megtanulásának kulcsa.
Water is the key to life.
Sleep is the key to feeling good.
Friends are the key to joy.
Common mistake:
Learners may forget to use 'the' before 'key' in this sense, e.g., saying 'Key to success' instead of 'The key to success'.
Meaning
Important factor for success
Collocations
key factor
|key role
|key point
|key to success
|key element
Synonyms
crucial element (Stresses its vital importance)
Antonyms
minor detail (Something not important to the outcome)
Themes
success
|business
|problem-solving
|core_vocabulary
|education
Definition
The most important thing needed to do or get something.
Something that is crucial or necessary to achieve or understand something.
NOUN
B1
TECHNICAL
3
hangnem
B2
The song is in the key of G.
A dal G-dúr hangnemben van.
She played the piece in a minor key.
Moll hangnemben játszotta a darabot.
He changed the song’s key to match his voice.
The composition shifts from one key to another.
This melody sounds better in a higher key.
Learner examples
This song is in the key of C.
Ez a dal C-dúr hangnemben van.
She can play in any key.
Bármilyen hangnemben tud játszani.
The music changes key here.
I like songs in a major key.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this with 'keyboard keys'. Clarify it's about pitch and scale in music.
Meaning
Musical scale base note
Collocations
in the key of C
|major key
|minor key
Synonyms
tonality (More formal term used in music theory)
Antonyms
atonality (Music without a fixed key)
Themes
music
|arts_entertainment
Definition
In music, the main group of notes used in a song, starting from one note.
In music, the group of notes based on a particular note that forms the basis for a piece of music.
NOUN
A2
4
billentyű
A2
Press the enter key to continue.
A folytatáshoz nyomd meg az Enter billentyűt.
Some keys on my keyboard are stuck.
A billentyűzetemen néhány billentyű beragadt.
The piano has 88 keys.
She hit the wrong key and deleted her work.
Function keys are at the top of your keyboard.
Learner examples
Press this key to start.
Nyomd meg ezt a billentyűt az indításhoz.
The piano has many keys.
A zongorának sok billentyűje van.
I like to press the keys on my laptop.
This key makes a sound.
Meaning
Button on keyboard or instrument
Collocations
press a key
|function keys
|piano keys
Synonyms
button (General term; less specific than 'key' for devices)
Themes
technology
|music
|arts_entertainment
Definition
A button you press on a computer or piano to make letters, numbers, or sounds.
A button that you press on a computer keyboard, typewriter, or musical instrument to produce letters, numbers, or sounds.
NOUN
B1
5
Refer to the map’s key to understand the symbols.
Nézd meg a térkép jelmagyarázatát, hogy megértsd a szimbólumokat.
The chart’s key explains each color code.
A diagram jelmagyarázata elmagyarázza az egyes színkódokat.
Without the key, it’s hard to read this diagram.
Learner examples
Look at the map’s key for help.
Segítségként nézd meg a térkép jelmagyarázatát.
The colors are shown in the chart’s key.
A színek a diagram jelmagyarázatában vannak feltüntetve.
I can read this map with the help of its key.
Meaning
Explanatory list for symbols on map/chart
Collocations
map key
|chart key
Synonyms
legend ('Legend' is often used interchangeably in cartography)
Themes
geography
|education
|travel
|communication
Definition
A list that tells what symbols or colors mean on a map or chart.
A list or table explaining the symbols, colors, or signs used on a map, chart, or diagram.
Grammar
Dictionary form
key
IPA
GB/kˈi/
US/kˈi/
Syllables & stress
key (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (key)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: key
- Plural: keys
Word family
Expressions
key in
1/kˈi ˈɪn/
phrasal verb
Enter data using keyboard keys
To put information into a computer by pressing its keys.
Examples
- Please key in your password to log in.
- She keyed in all the customer details before lunch.
key point
1/kˈi pˈɔɪnt/
fixed phrase
Most important idea in discussion/text
The most important thing someone says or writes about a topic.
Examples
- One key point from his speech was about climate change.
- Let me summarize the key points of the report.
key to success
1/kˈi tə səksˈɛs/
fixed phrase
Most important factor for success
The most important thing needed to be successful.
Examples
- Hard work is often called the key to success.
- Many believe education is the key to success.
key player
1/kˈi plˈeɪɚ/
fixed phrase
Person with major role in activity/organization
An important person in a team or group who helps it succeed.
Examples
- He was a key player in the negotiations.
- She is a key player in our marketing team.
- Several key players were absent from the meeting.
- He was one of the key players in winning the championship.
under lock and key
1/ˈʌndɚ lˈɑk ˈænd kˈi/
idiom
Kept securely locked away
Kept somewhere safe and locked so no one can get it easily.
Examples
- The jewels are kept under lock and key at all times.
- The jewels are kept under lock and key.
- Sensitive documents should be under lock and key.
- Important documents are stored under lock and key.