key vs list

key and list both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
key	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
list	Yes	No	Yes	No

As nouns, list is a hypernym of key; that is, list is a word with a broader meaning than key:

Other hypernyms of key include listing.

As nouns, list is a hypernym of key; that is, list is a word with a broader meaning than key:

Other hypernyms of key include listing.

key (noun)	list (noun)
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated	the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the vertical
a lever (as in a keyboard) that actuates a mechanism when depressed	a database containing an ordered array of items (names or topics)
mechanical device used to wind another device that is driven by a spring (as a clock)
the central building block at the top of an arch or vault
pitch of the voice
something crucial for explaining
any of 24 major or minor diatonic scales that provide the tonal framework for a piece of music
a generic term for any device whose possession entitles the holder to a means of access
a list of words or phrases that explain symbols or abbreviations
a list of answers to a test
(basketball) a space (including the foul line) in front of the basket at each end of a basketball court; usually painted a different color from the rest of the court
a coral reef off the southern coast of Florida
a winged often one-seed indehiscent fruit as of the ash or elm or maple
a kilogram of a narcotic drug

key (adjective)	list (adjective)
serving as an essential component

key (verb)	list (verb)
harmonize with or adjust to	give or make a list of; name individually; give the names of
regulate the musical pitch of	enumerate
identify as in botany or biology, for example	tilt to one side
vandalize a car by scratching the sides with a key	cause to lean to the side
provide with a key	include in a list