Phrase guide

dead key

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A special modifier key on a typewriter or computer keyboard, typically used to attach a specific diacritic to another character.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: senpaŝa klavo — special modifier key on a typewriter or computer keyboard
  • Finnish: päällekkäisnäppäin — special modifier key on a typewriter or computer keyboard
  • Finnish: tarkenäppäin — special modifier key on a typewriter or computer keyboard
  • French: touche morte — special modifier key on a typewriter or computer keyboard
  • German: Tottaste — special modifier key on a typewriter or computer keyboard
  • Vietnamese: phím ảo — special modifier key on a typewriter or computer keyboard