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
keyboarded; keyboarding; keyboards
: 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
Margaret Atwood
: to operate a machine (as for typesetting) by means of a keyboard
keyboarder
noun
Examples of keyboard in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebJess Weatherbed, The Verge, 9 Apr. 2024
The difficulty with any new programming language is the sharp learning curve, all that drudgery and bashing your forehead into the keyboard.
—Scott Gilbertson, WIRED, 8 Apr. 2024
His other Grammy collaborators included Pharrell Williams, Metallica and jazz keyboard great Hancock.
—Beth Wood, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2024
At the keyboard on Wednesday, Schlosberg looked as busy as ever, gesturing beats, playing the piano, sometimes reaching into the instrument, breathing textures into a microphone and operating a sound board.
—Joshua Barone, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Casey Benjamin, an original Robert Glasper Experiment member who went on to play saxophone, keyboards, and other instruments with artists including Solange and A Tribe Called Quest, has died, HuffPost reports, citing Benjamin’s management.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 1 Apr. 2024
Best Amazon Tech and Electronics Deals Tech and electronics galore are on sale, including headphones, speakers, smart TVs, and keyboards.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 30 Mar. 2024
On the plus side, Windows 11 tablet users have stylus options and on-screen touch keyboard tricks.
—PCMAG, 22 Mar. 2024
The deluge of lower-quality ecommerce listings has partly been enabled by generative AI tools, which allow sellers to spit out product names and descriptions with a few taps on the keyboard.
—Lauren Goode, WIRED, 28 Mar. 2024
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
While this is very expensive for an entry-level tablet, a report suggests that Apple had considered launching a plastic iPad and keyboard for under $500.
—José Adorno, BGR, 1 Nov. 2022
There’s a quiet catharsis in putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and creating a poem, short story or other literary thingy.
—Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, 19 Nov. 2021
Students need practice putting pencil to paper and not just fingers to keyboard.
—Brian Platzer, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2020
Summer learning in District 181 focused on core classes, including 14 math, 12 language arts, nine art and one foreign language, keyboarding, creative writing, along with a writing camp.
—Chuck Fieldman, chicagotribune.com, 26 June 2019
The music series starts Sunday and runs through Oct. 14, featuring artists that range from trumpeter Bo Berry to keyboard player Gail Jhonson.
—Mary Colurso, AL.com, 7 Apr. 2018
Students need to learn printing, cursive and keyboarding to have all the tools for communication success.
—Erin Dolin, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2017
Noun
Logitech has announced the Pro X 60 Lightspeed, the first wireless gaming keyboard from the company to come in a compact 60 percent format.
—Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 9 Apr. 2024
The difficulty with any new programming language is the sharp learning curve, all that drudgery and bashing your forehead into the keyboard.
—Scott Gilbertson, WIRED, 8 Apr. 2024
His other Grammy collaborators included Pharrell Williams, Metallica and jazz keyboard great Hancock.
—Beth Wood, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2024
At the keyboard on Wednesday, Schlosberg looked as busy as ever, gesturing beats, playing the piano, sometimes reaching into the instrument, breathing textures into a microphone and operating a sound board.
—Joshua Barone, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Casey Benjamin, an original Robert Glasper Experiment member who went on to play saxophone, keyboards, and other instruments with artists including Solange and A Tribe Called Quest, has died, HuffPost reports, citing Benjamin’s management.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 1 Apr. 2024
Best Amazon Tech and Electronics Deals Tech and electronics galore are on sale, including headphones, speakers, smart TVs, and keyboards.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 30 Mar. 2024
On the plus side, Windows 11 tablet users have stylus options and on-screen touch keyboard tricks.
—PCMAG, 22 Mar. 2024
The deluge of lower-quality ecommerce listings has partly been enabled by generative AI tools, which allow sellers to spit out product names and descriptions with a few taps on the keyboard.
—Lauren Goode, WIRED, 28 Mar. 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
While this is very expensive for an entry-level tablet, a report suggests that Apple had considered launching a plastic iPad and keyboard for under $500.
—José Adorno, BGR, 1 Nov. 2022
There’s a quiet catharsis in putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and creating a poem, short story or other literary thingy.
—Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, 19 Nov. 2021
Students need practice putting pencil to paper and not just fingers to keyboard.
—Brian Platzer, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2020
Summer learning in District 181 focused on core classes, including 14 math, 12 language arts, nine art and one foreign language, keyboarding, creative writing, along with a writing camp.
—Chuck Fieldman, chicagotribune.com, 26 June 2019
The music series starts Sunday and runs through Oct. 14, featuring artists that range from trumpeter Bo Berry to keyboard player Gail Jhonson.
—Mary Colurso, AL.com, 7 Apr. 2018
Students need to learn printing, cursive and keyboarding to have all the tools for communication success.
—Erin Dolin, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2017
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'keyboard.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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
Dictionary Entries Near keyboard
Cite this Entry
“Keyboard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keyboard. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
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
More from Merriam-Webster on keyboard
Nglish: Translation of keyboard for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of keyboard for Arabic Speakers
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