key·pad / ˈkēˌpad/ • n. a miniature keyboard or set of buttons for operating a portable electronic device, telephone, or other equipment.

keypad A limited but compact form of keyboard, sometimes hand-held, with a small number, often 12 or 16, of captioned buttons or pressure-sensitive areas on a plane. It is used in conjunction with data collection equipment or as a means of entering limited information, such as a personal identification number (PIN).