Keyboard
/ˈkiː.bɔːrd/noun
A set of keys used to operate a typewriter, computer, musical instrument, or other device.
Did you know?The word combines key, an object historically associated with locks and access, with board, meaning a flat wooden surface; its mysterious symbolism is modern rather than an ancient occult meaning.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*kaigaz
“Reconstructed ancestor associated with a key; its deeper origin is uncertain.”
Old English
Old English
cǣġ
“A key used to open or secure a lock.”
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*burdam
“A plank, board, or flat piece of wood.”
Old English
Old English
bord
“A board, plank, or the side of a ship.”
16th Century
English
key-board
“A board fitted with keys, originally used especially for musical instruments.”
19th Century
English
keyboard
“A set or arrangement of keys used to operate a typewriter or musical instrument.”
Modern English
English
keyboard
“A key-operated input device, especially for computers and electronic instruments.”