# Surrogate Key

A key introduced solely to identify rows and carrying no domain meaning.

## What is **Surrogate Key** in a relational database?

**Surrogate Key** — A key introduced solely to identify rows and carrying no domain meaning.

Level: Journeyman · [More Database terms at this level](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/subjects/database/journeyman)

Updated: September 27, 2026

Source: https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/surrogate-key