Mac OS X Terminal: Map option+delete to "backward delete word"

Question

Tried to map it from Preferences -> Settings -> Keyboard, but the "key" combo box has only "forward delete" but no "delete". My keyboard on the other hand has only "delete" and no "forward delete"!

Is there some other way to do it except from the preferences?

Answer 1

Under Terminal > Window Settings > Keyboard you can check "Use option key as meta key." Many applications (including bash and tcsh) treat Meta-Delete as "backward delete word."

Answer 2

You might also want to try iTerm, it provides finer control of keybindings.

Answer 3

By default meta backspace does a backwards word yank in most shells. If you press escape and then press backspace, that pretty much works everywhere.

Answer 4

I have a macbook, a new mac user.. how do I delete more than one letter at a time??? Thanks

Answer 5

In TextEdit, you can press and hold the option key and then the delete key (backspace).