headword

From head +‎ word. Compare West Frisian haadwurd (“noun, substantive, headword”), Dutch hoofdwoord (“headword”), German Hauptwort (“noun, substantive, headword”), Swedish huvudord (“headword, keyword”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈhɛdwɜːd/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈhɛdwɝd/

headword (plural headwords)

1. a word used as the title of a section, particularly in a dictionary, encyclopedia, or thesaurus
2. (grammar) any word which may be modified by an adjunct

   In "a very discerning car shopper", "shopper" is the headword.

• (grammar): head

• headword on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• basic form
• canonical form
• citation form
• dictionary form
• lemma