What is "keyboard shortcut"

n. (context computing English) a key, or more usually a combination of keys, on the keyboard of a personal computer that activates a specific, predefined function

thumb|right|234px |Composite of two Macintosh Finder menus with keyboard shortcuts specified in the right column In computing, a keyboard shortcut is a series of one or several keys that invoke a software or operating system operation (in other words, cause an event) when triggered by the user. The meaning of term "keyboard shortcut" can vary depending on software manufacturer. For instance, Microsoft differentiates keyboard shortcuts from hotkeys ("mnemonics" on Windows) whereby the former consists of a specific key combination used to trigger an action, and the latter represents a designated letter in a menu command or toolbar button that when pressed together with the Alt key, activates such command—whereas a "hotkey" on Windows is a system wide shortcut that is always available in all contexts as long as the program responsible for it is running and not suspended.