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Glite Dictionary
🔑 A metal loop 💻 Password storage
key ring

key ring

6 1.0
A small metal ring that holds keys together
  • noun
translation icon : llavero
  • Her expression thoughtful, Rosie accepted the key ring I handed her.
  • tossed the key ring
  • key ring from my pocket
  • pulled out his key ring

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Examples

  • Red fishes a key ring out of his pocket and extends it to Arleen.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • If you take this little thing on your key ring, you have a mirror with you at all times.

  • And then she held out her key ring.

    Max Hell Frog Warrior (2002)

  • How about a house key ring for each of you?

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Frank had done that before; he still had the key on his key ring.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • I'd love to, but the key is on the key ring.

    Fair Game (1995)

  • Andy takes his key ring out and tries the lock.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • "Tom kept his hands in his pockets to keep the key ring from jingling."

    Fiction book (2001)

  • I peered closer at the key ring and looked up at Amanda in surprise.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • She grabbed her key ring and quickly unlocked the door.

Synonyms

ring
vskey ring
∞ 1.0

A small round band of metal worn on a finger or for fastening and hanging things

is specialised as a small metal loop for holding lock identifiers together
keychain
vskey ring
15 1.1

A small ring or chain that holds keys together

is a simple circular metal loop rather than a larger device

How Portable

key fob
3.6
key ring
6 1.0
keychain
15 1.1
rack
205 1.2
cabinet
168 1.3

Surface Forms

key ring singular
key rings plural

Morphology

key + ring

The computing sense is a metaphorical extension of the concrete object 'key ring' that holds physical keys, so a learner who knows 'key' and 'ring' can plausibly infer a place that stores keys — here applied to digital keys. However, the specialized notion of a secure cryptographic repository and the technical implications are domain-specific and not fully predictable from the constituents alone, so the expression is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Key ring is a small metal ring that holds many keys together, like a tiny hoop that keeps them from getting lost. That's why Key ring means 'an object for holding keys'.