In contemporary slang and popular culture, the term "Rosetta Stone" is frequently used metaphorically to describe a crucial clue, a definitive key, or a fundamental deciphering tool that unlocks the meaning of an obscure, complex, or previously incomprehensible puzzle, language, or system. Borrowed from the historic archaeological artifact used to crack Egyptian hieroglyphs, people say something is "the Rosetta Stone" when it provides the vital explanation needed to understand a deeply confusing situation.