Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A well-known word or phrase, especially one that exemplifies a notion, class, or quality: "We're turned off by the label 'sexy' when used as a catchword for every new design” ( Miriam Lang).
- n. A catchy name or slogan: "the top management of major corporations . . . busy coining catchwords for their new management concepts” ( Japan Economic Journal).
- n. Printing A guideword.
- n. Printing The first word of a page printed in the bottom right-hand corner of the preceding page.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. In old writing and printing, a word of the text standing by itself in the right-hand corner of the bottom of a page, the same as the first word of the next page, to mark the connection or proper sequence. In old manuscript books a catchword was at first inserted only at the end of a sheet or quire (that is, the quantity folded together); in printing it was the practice until the nineteenth century to insert one at the foot of every page.
- n. In the drama, the last word of a speaker, which serves to remind the one who is to follow him of what he is to say; a cue.
- n. A word caught up and repeated for effect; a taking word or phrase used as a partizan cry or shibboleth: as, the catchword of a political party.
Wiktionary
- n. A word under the right-hand side of the last line on a book page that repeats the first word on the following page.
- n. A word or expression repeated until it becomes representative of a party, school, business, or point of view.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. Among theatrical performers, the last word of the preceding speaker, which reminds one that he is to speak next; cue.
- n. (Print.) The first word of any page of a book after the first, inserted at the right hand bottom corner of the preceding page for the assistance of the reader. It is seldom used in modern printing.
- n. A word or phrase caught up and repeated for effect
WordNet 3.0
- n. a favorite saying of a sect or political group
- n. a word printed at the top of the page of a dictionary or other reference book to indicate the first or last item on that page
Examples
“After all "the people of God" is just a misleading "catchword" for Ratzinger.”
“Sustainability was the catchword of the day along with going local, organic farming and the ever-present mantra, "know your farmer, know your food.”
The Huffington Post: William Marler: What Is the "Future of Food" Without Food Safety?
“Even in 1968, that was a catchword for everything that was superficial, old-fashioned and, well, plastic.”
The Wall Street Journal: Dow Chemical Plastics Payoff Is Baked In
““Consultation is not a catchword, it is a commitment.””
“Exhibit 2 contains, at least in Coward's translation, an eye-catching phrase, one that's become a catchword for a certain type of literature.”
“Unusual" isn't a Grammy catchword: in several of the classical categories, the most familiar name won Mitsuko Uchida, Cecelia Bartoli, Jordi Savall or Riccardo Muti, whose convalescence from his recent fall in Chicago may be supported by his winning two Grammys, including Best Classical Album, for the CSO's own release of the Verdi Requiem.”
“(Soundbite of laughter) Ms. SHAH: And I would say that before women's liberation became the catchword, she was a liberated female long ago.”
“The Wings have the worst travel schedule in the NHL, and they might be entering this season with a sense that Hossa makes them invincible, a dangerous attitude to assume in a league where parity is the catchword of the day.”
“It seems like every election in this country has the same catchword: "Change".”
“Carole McDonnell 7:41 pm: Eweant, speculative is just a catchword for fantasy, alternate scifi, etc”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘catchword’.
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Rare Books
Words used in the rare book trade (of which I was once a part). For more about how such books are put together, see hernesheir's excellent The Bindery.
foxing, gilt, headband, bumped, endpaper, leaf, colophon, vellum, laid paper, boards, device, engraving and 168 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for catchword.

reesetee In a book, a word printed at the bottom right corner of each recto page that matches the first word on the following page.
Feb 22, 2007