keynote — key‧note [ˈkiːnəʊt ǁ noʊt] adjective keynote address/speech the most important speech at a large meeting: • A question and answer session followed the Chancellor s keynote speech at the CBI conference. * * * keynote UK US /ˈkiːnəʊt/ noun [C] ►… … Financial and business terms
keynote — [kē′nōt΄] n. 1. the lowest, basic note or tone of a musical scale, or key; tonic 2. the basic idea or ruling principle, as of a speech, policy, etc. vt. keynoted, keynoting ☆ 1. to give the keynote of 2. to deliver the keynote address at ☆… … English World dictionary
Keynote — Key note , n. 1. (Mus.) The tonic or first tone of the scale in which a piece or passage is written; the fundamental tone of the chord, to which all the modulations of the piece are referred; called also {key tone}. [1913 Webster] 2. The… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
keynote — (n.) also key note, lowest note of a musical scale, basis of a scale, 1776, from KEY (Cf. key) (n.1) in sense of musical scale + NOTE (Cf. note) (n.). Figurative sense of leading idea is from 1783; keynote address is 1905, Amer.Eng … Etymology dictionary
keynote — index cornerstone, corpus, highlight, main point Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
keynote — / keystone [n] essence, theme basic idea, basis, center, core, cornerstone, criterion, crux, gist, heart, idea, kernel, linchpin, mainspring, marrow, measure, motive, nub, pith, principle, root, source, spring, standard, substance;concepts… … New thesaurus
keynote — ► NOUN 1) a prevailing tone or central theme. 2) (before another noun ) (of a speech) setting out the central theme of a conference. 3) Music the note on which a key is based … English terms dictionary
Keynote — A keynote in literature, music or public speaking is the principal underlying theme. In the corporate or commercial environment of the UK and Europe, greater importance is attached to the delivery of a keynote speech or keynote address. The… … Wikipedia
keynote — /kee noht /, n., v., keynoted, keynoting. n. 1. Music. the note or tone on which a key or system of tones is founded; the tonic. 2. the main idea or central principle of a speech, program, thought, action, etc. 3. the policy line to be followed,… … Universalium
keynote — key|note1 [ˈki:nəut US nout] n the main point in a book, system of beliefs, activity etc that influences everything else keynote of ▪ Unprecedented change has been the keynote of the electronic revolution. keynote 2 keynote2 adj [only before… … Dictionary of contemporary English
