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watchwords

 [woch-wurd]   Origin

watch·word

   [woch-wurd]
noun
1.
a word or short phrase to be communicated, on challenge, to a sentinel or guard; password or countersign.
2.
a word or phrase expressive of a principle or rule of action; slogan: Conservation has been our watchword.
3.
a rallying cry of a party, club, team, etc.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English; see watch, word

Synonyms
1, 2. shibboleth. 3. motto.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Watchwords is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

watchword
c.1400, "password," from watch (n.) in the military sense of "period of standing guard duty" + word. In the sense of "motto, slogan" it dates from 1738.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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