Qwerty

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkwɜːti/

Definitions

1. A keyboard layout where the top row of letters begins with Q-W-E-R-T-Y, commonly used on typewriters and computers
2. A specific arrangement of keys on a keyboard, initiating with the letters Q-W-E-R-T-Y, that is prevalent in modern typing devices and computer inputs
3. This refers to a standard keyboard design characterized by the sequence Q-W-E-R-T-Y on its top row, frequently utilized in electronic devices for typing

Etymology: Christopher Latham Sholes, an American inventor, did not set out to create a memorable word at all. The name comes from nothing more than the first six letters of the top row of letters on the keyboard he developed for his typewriter, which was shown in 1873. The arrangement was designed to reduce the jamming of the typewriter's mechanical type bars when neighbouring keys were pressed in quick succession, so the layout was shaped by machinery rather than by any idea of how words should look. The layout outlived the machines it was built for. Its letters became a convenient shorthand for the standard keyboard itself, and the term now refers to that design wherever it appears on computers, phones and other devices. The word is typically written in capitals, though the lowercase form is also used.

Synonyms: keyboard layout