What does password mean?
A password is a secret sequence of words, letters, numbers, or symbols that authenticates a user or permits access to an account, device, or protected resource. It is commonly entered alongside a username, although some systems use a password alone. The word is broadly associated with computer security but also has older uses connected with watchwords and controlled access. In modern practice, a strong password is one that is unique, sufficiently long, and not easily inferred from personal information; length and unpredictability are often more useful than a complicated mixture of character types. A passphrase is a related form consisting of several ordinary words, while a PIN and a passcode are usually shorter and more specialized. Outside computing, the term can figuratively describe any credential or means of gaining admission. Its everyday meaning carries both practical and slightly negative associations, recalling forgotten credentials, unauthorized access, and the effort required to maintain security.
A secret word, phrase, or sequence of characters used to authenticate a user or permit access to a protected account, device, or place.
"The administrator asked us to change our passwords immediately."
A password may consist of letters, numbers, and symbols; the term is also used more broadly for similar access credentials.
To protect a computer, file, or other resource by assigning or requiring a password.
"Administrators passworded the archive before making it accessible to the research team."
This verb form is informal and most common in computing contexts.
The plural refers to multiple access credentials, whether belonging to different users or systems or representing separate credentials for one person.
"The company requires employees to use different passwords for work and personal accounts."
The name literally describes a word that lets someone pass.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does password come from?
The compound combines pass and word, expressing the idea of a word that allows someone to pass or gain entry. It belongs to a wider European family of access terms that includes French passe(s)wort, formed from passe, meaning "pass," and wort, meaning "word." The English element pass comes through Old French from Latin passare, meaning "to step," while word comes from Germanic roots referring to speech or language.
Related word forms
How password is actually used
The term is standard in general computing and formal administrative contexts. In casual speech, people sometimes say "the password" when they mean a PIN, a passcode, or even a username, although these are technically distinct.
Easily confused with password
A password may contain letters, numbers, and symbols, whereas a passcode is often a shorter numerical code used to unlock a particular device or application.
A password usually authenticates an account, while a PIN is typically a short numerical code used to approve a transaction or unlock a device.