Etymology

workword

W4O1R1K5W4O1R1D2

Today it means: The operative word, especially in a thought, phrase, or idea; keyword. Full definition →

Dutch werkwoord
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The story

  1. Dutch · calque ofwerkwoord“verb”
  2. English todayworkword

From work + word, perhaps as a calque of Dutch werkwoord (“verb”). Compare also West Frisian wurkwurd (“verb”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.