Phrase guide

primary 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

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1

noun

Meaning 1

In the design of a database table, the primary key (abbreviated PK) is selected among the non-empty set of candidate keys. The PK is a column (or an irreducible group of columns) able to identify every row of the table.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, databases, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

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

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 主鍵 /主键 (zhǔjiàn) — key in database table
  • Chinese Mandarin: 主碼 /主码 (zhǔmǎ) — key in database table
  • Czech: primární klíč — key in database table
  • Finnish: pääavain — key in database table
  • French: clé primaire — key in database table
  • German: Primärschlüssel — key in database table
  • Greek: πρωτεύον κλειδί (protévon kleidí) — key in database table
  • Hungarian: elsődleges kulcs — key in database table
  • Japanese: 主キー (shu-kī) — key in database table
  • Polish: klucz główny — key in database table
  • Polish: klucz podstawowy — key in database table
  • Romanian: cheie primară — key in database table
  • Russian: перви́чный ключ (pervíčnyj ključ) — key in database table
  • Serbo-Croatian: примарни кључ — key in database table
  • Serbo-Croatian: primarni ključ — key in database table
  • Swedish: primärnyckel — key in database table
  • Turkish: birincil anahtar — key in database table