headword
nounUK /ˈhɛdwɜːd/ · US /ˈhɛdwɝd/
Etymology From head + word. Compare West Frisian haadwurd (“noun, substantive, headword”), Dutch hoofdwoord (“headword”), German Hauptwort (“noun, substantive, headword”), Swedish huvudord (“headword, keyword”).
1
A word (or compound term) used as the title of a list entry or section, particularly in a dictionary, encyclopedia, or thesaurus.
2
Grammar, Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences The head of a phrase.
- In "a very discerning car shopper", "shopper" is the headword.
- Derived terms
- subheadword
- Related terms
- basic form, canonical form, citation form, dictionary form, lemma