keynote

1 of 2

noun

key·​note ˈkē-ˌnōt 

1

: the fundamental or central fact, idea, or mood

Sadness is the keynote of this little collection.

—Books Abroad

One keynote of his mind has been his interest in deceit, his perceptions about the use of flimflam in modern life …

—Stanley Kauffmann

2

music : the first and harmonically fundamental tone of a scale

3

: keynote address

Following Tuesday morning's keynote, sessions progress through all areas.

—Jim Rosenberg

Sprinting from workshops to motivational keynotes featuring famous faces and wannabes, I came away inspired and armed with information …

—Peggy Klaus

keynote

2 of 2

verb

keynoted; keynoting; keynotes

transitive verb

1

: to deliver the keynote address at

2

: to set the keynote of

keynoter noun

Synonyms of keynote

Noun

• heart
• core
• essence
• root
• point
• kernel
• gist

Examples of keynote in a Sentence

Noun

Humor is the keynote of the play.

the need for a greater sense of self-reliance is the keynote of his self-help message

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Sanford Panitch, President of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, talked about the power of Japanese IP – and how entertainment culture has become both more niche and more global – in a Cannes Marche keynote celebrating Japan as this year’s Country Of Honor. —Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 14 May 2026

For decades, Michelle Obama and ESSENCE have existed in conversation with one another—through magazine covers, keynote interviews, and cultural moments that stretched far beyond politics and into the emotional fabric of Black life. —Essence, 13 May 2026

Verb

Amazon is taking center stage at this year’s RTS London and will chair the bi-annual convention, with international chief Kelly Day set to keynote. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 6 May 2026

The announcement comes as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang prepares to address an audience of policymakers and government leaders in Washington, D.C., to keynote the company’s developer conference. —Kif Leswing, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1677, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing keynote

• keynote address
• keynote speaker

Rhymes for keynote

• afloat
• azote
• banknote
• bareboat
• benzoate
• connote
• cutthroat
• demote
• denote
• devote
• endnote
• footnote

Kids Definition

keynote

1 of 2 noun

key·​note ˈkē-ˌnōt 

1

: the first and harmonically fundamental tone of a scale

2

: the fundamental or central fact, idea, or mood

humor is the keynote of the play

keynote

2 of 2 verb

1

: to set the keynote of

2

: to give the keynote address at

keynoted the convention

keynoter noun