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linchpin

Syllabification: (linch·pin)
Pronunciation: /ˈlinCHˌpin/
(also lynchpin)
Translate linchpin | into French | into Italian
Definition of linchpin

noun

  • 1a pin passed through the end of an axle to keep a wheel in position.
  • 2a person or thing vital to an enterprise or organization:regular brushing is the linchpin of all good dental hygiene

Origin:

late Middle English: from Old English lynis (in the sense 'linchpin') + pin

linchpin in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of linchpin in the British & World English dictionary

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