Rekeyed

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Altered the cylinder of a lock so that it opens with a different key ; typed existing information into a computer or database a second time
2. Modified a lock's internal mechanism so it responds to new keys ; retyped data into a digital system after the original entry
3. Changed the pins inside a lock to match a new key ; input previously recorded information again into a computer system

Etymology: "Rekeyed" is the past tense and past participle of "rekey," a verb formed in English by adding the prefix "re-" (meaning "again" or "anew") to "key." The prefix itself reaches English through Old French "re-" and Latin "re-," ultimately descending from a very old root shared across the Italic languages, though its path into English is a simple one. The base word "key" has a longer lineage, traceable back to Old English "cǣġ," which passed through Middle English "keye" before settling into its modern form. "Rekey" therefore means, in plain terms, to change the locks on a door or device so that a different key, or a new set of keys, will work. The verb is a straightforward compound: no sound change or famous coinage lies behind it, just two familiar English parts put together to describe a practical task.