KEYSTONE


Meaning of KEYSTONE in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ ˈkē-ˌstōn ]

noun

Date: circa 1637

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

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.