Dictionary
keystone
noun key·stone \ˈkē-ˌstōn\
: a large stone at the top of an arch that locks the other stones in place
: something on which other things depend for support
Full Definition of KEYSTONE
1
: the wedge-shaped piece at the crown of an arch that locks the other pieces in place — see arch illustration
2
: something on which associated things depend for support <determination, a keystone of the puritan ethic — L. S. Lewis>
3
: a species of plant or animal that produces a major impact (as by predation) on its ecosystem and is considered essential to maintaining optimum ecosystem function or structure
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First Known Use of KEYSTONE
circa 1637
Related to KEYSTONE
- Synonyms
- basis, bedrock, bottom, cornerstone, footing, foundation, ground, groundwork, base, root, underpinning, warp, warp and woof
Other Architecture Terms
Rhymes with KEYSTONE
agon, aitchbone, alone, atone, backbone, Bastogne, bemoan, Big Stone, birthstone, Blackstone, bloodstone, bluestone, bondstone, Boulogne, breastbone, bridge loan, brimstone, brownstone, call loan, calzone, Capone, capstone, cell phone, cheekbone, chinbone, cogon, cologne, Cologne, colon, colón, Colón, condone, copestone, corn pone, curbstone, cyclone, daimon, dapsone, debone, depone, dethrone, dial tone, disown, Dordogne, downzone, dripstone, drop zone, drystone, earphone, earth tone, end zone, enthrone, estrone, fieldstone, firestone, Firestone, flagstone, flowstone, flyblown, footstone, freestone, free zone, full-blown, gallstone, gemstone, Gijón, goldstone, gravestone, greenstone, grindstone, hailstone, halftone, handblown, hard stone, headphone, headstone, hearthstone, high-flown, hip bone, homegrown, hormone, hornstone, impone, ingrown, inkstone, in stone, intone, jawbone, jewel tone, León, leone, life zone, limestone, lodestone, long bone, Maidstone, milestone, millstone, moonstone, mudstone, nose cone, oilstone, orgone, ozone, pay phone, peptone, pinbone, pinecone, piñon, pipestone, postpone, potstone, propone, redbone, red zone, rhinestone, sandstone, shade-grown, shinbone, siltstone, snow cone, soapstone, splint bone, strike zone, T-bone, tailbone, thighbone, time zone, toadstone, tombstone, touchstone, touch-tone, tritone, trombone, turnstone, twelve-tone, two-tone, Tyrone, unknown, unthrone, war zone, well-known, whalebone, wheel-thrown, whetstone, windblown, wishbone, Yangon
KEYSTONE Defined for Kids
keystone
noun key·stone \ˈkē-ˌstōn\
Definition of KEYSTONE for Kids
1
: the wedge-shaped piece at the top of an arch that locks the other pieces in place
2
: something on which other things depend for support
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