Password

/ˈpæsˌwɝːd/ noun

Definition

A password is a secret word, phrase, or set of characters that lets you get into a computer, account, or locked place. Only people who know the password are supposed to have access.

Etymology

“Password” is a straightforward combination of “pass” and “word.” It originally referred to a secret word soldiers used to prove they were on the same side when passing guards.

Kelly Says

Passwords used to be spoken, not typed; they were literally words you whispered to get past armed guards. Today, the gate is digital, but the idea is exactly the same: the right word opens an invisible door. In both cases, the password is really about trust, not technology.

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