| ketoacidosis |
low blood pH due to high levels of ketone bodies in the blood, esp. occurring in cases of diabetes, alcoholism, and starvation. |
| ketone |
a highly reactive organic chemical compound containing a carbonyl group linked to two hydrocarbon radicals. |
| ketosis |
the excessive accumulation of ketones in the body. |
| kettle |
a broad, deep container in which to boil liquids, esp. water or soup; pot. [3 definitions] |
| kettledrum |
a large, deep, resonant drum, hemispherical in shape and usu. played with soft mallets. |
| kettle of fish |
(informal) an awkward, difficult, or embarrassing situation. |
| keV |
a unit of energy equal to one thousand electron-volts; kiloelectron volt. |
| Kewpie |
trademark for a small doll with plump rosy cheeks and large eyes. |
| key1 |
a notched or grooved object, usu. metal, that can open or close locks. [8 definitions] |
| key2 |
a low island near shore, as off the southern coast of Florida. |
| keyboard |
a row or rows of keys used to operate a piano, typewriter, computer, or the like. [4 definitions] |
| key chain |
a chain on which keys are strung, or a key ring attached by a short chain or clip to an ornament. |
| key club |
a private nightclub to which each member has a key. |
| keyed |
equipped with or having keys, as musical instruments. [3 definitions] |
| keyhole |
a hole in a lock for inserting a key to lock and unlock it. |
| Key lime pie |
a pie with a filling made of condensed milk and lime juice. |
| keynote |
in music, the note defining the basic tonality of a piece or section of a piece; tonic. [3 definitions] |
| keynote speech |
an opening speech, as at a political convention, that outlines the main policies and issues under consideration; keynote address. |
| keypad |
a small panel with keys or buttons found on telephones, calculators, computers, and the like, used to send a signal to an electronic device. |
| keypunch |
to punch holes in (a card, tape, or the like) with a key punch. |
| key punch |
a machine, operated from a keyboard, that punches holes in cards or tape used in certain data processing systems. |