shift key

noun

: a key on a keyboard that when pressed enables an alternate set of characters to be produced by the other keys

Examples of shift key in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The ? and shift keys function as left and right mouse buttons. — Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 2 Aug. 2024 For example, take an extremely benign post about changes to the iOS keyboard’s shift key in iOS 7.1. — Jay Peters, The Verge, 10 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shift key was in 1883

Rhymes for shift key

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Browse Nearby Words

shift joint
shift key
shiftless
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Cite this Entry

“Shift key.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shift%20key. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

shift key

noun
: a key on a keyboard that when pressed allows a different set of characters to be produced by the other keys
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