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Glite Dictionary
🎤 Main speech 💡 Main idea 💡 To set theme 🎵 Main note 🎤 To give main speech
keynote

keynote

3 4.2
The main idea of a speech, book, or discussion
  • noun
  • /ˈkiːnoʊt/
translation icon : idea central
  • Her speech on mental health served as the keynote, highlighting the importance of awareness and support.

Examples

  • Today, most people that give keynote speeches are pretty casual.

  • Balancing medical, nursing, psychological, and spiritual support is the keynote of postoperative care, which must be based on knowledge of adolescent psychological development as well as medical and nursing scientific principles.

    Academic text (2002)

  • But we did have a big keynote announcement.

  • But as I discussed in my keynote, we recognize that this is not the end of the story.

    Blog text (6)

  • So with that, I am going to turn it off to our first keynote speaker, Chris Clark.

  • The opening epistle gives the keynote of the season.

    Academic text (2017)

  • Idealism, public service was the keynote.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • The keynote of fighter tactics in the United States Navy today is teamwork.

    Devotion (2022)

  • However, in this case, everything said in the keynote was quite moderate and full of a spirit of constructiveness and positivity.

    Blog text (11)

  • The promise of the future is the keynote set by GM president, Harlow Curtis.

    Roger & Me (1989)

Synonyms

theme
vskeynote
677 2.8

Main idea in a piece of writing, art, or talk

focuses more on the central idea in speeches and formal discussions
burden
vskeynote
166 6.7

The main idea of a speech or piece of writing

serves as the highlighted central idea specifically in a spoken address
key point
vskeynote
43 3.1

A main idea in a talk or report

refers to the overall central theme rather than a single important point
main concept
vskeynote
1 3.4

The most important idea in a discussion or text

is the central idea especially used for a speech or formal address

Compounds

keynote speaker
18 3.7

A main speaker at a conference who gives the most important talk

keynote address
10 4.4

A main speech at a formal event that sets the tone

keynote speech
6 4.2

A main talk at a meeting that gives the event's main idea

How Central

core
468 3.2
keynote
3 4.2
theme
677 2.8
topic
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

keynote singular
keynotes plural

Morphology

keynote = key + note (semi-transparent) = key + note

Formed from 'key' + 'note'; the sense 'central idea' is a metaphorical extension from the musical sense and not fully literal for all learners.

Etymology

Keynote comes from music: key + note, a single musical sound that sets the 'tone' for a whole piece. So the keynote of a speech or book is its 'main' idea that gives the work its feeling.