diff --git a/src/key_search_helpers.cpp b/src/key_search_helpers.cpp
index 869e64f..82d625e 100644
--- a/src/key_search_helpers.cpp
+++ b/src/key_search_helpers.cpp
@@ -9,3 +9,17 @@ void key_search_result(const std::string& word, const struct ec_keypair* pair) {
 	std::cout << "Found: " << word << std::endl;
 	wif_print_key(pair);
 }
+
+bool key_contains_word(const struct ec_keypair* key, const strlist_t& word_list, std::string& word) {
+
+	std::string pubstr = wif_pub_encode(key->pub);
+	strtolower(pubstr);
+
+	for(auto const& w: word_list) {
+		if (pubstr.find(w) != std::string::npos) {
+			word = w;
+			return true;
+		}
+	}
+	return false;
+}
diff --git a/src/key_search_helpers.h b/src/key_search_helpers.h
index 70ee1b4..66d4291 100644
--- a/src/key_search_helpers.h
+++ b/src/key_search_helpers.h
@@ -24,9 +24,13 @@
 #ifndef KEY_SEARCH_HELPSER_H
 #define KEY_SEARCH_HELPERS_H
 
-#include <string>
+#include "string.h"
 #include "ec.h"
 
 void key_search_result(const std::string& word, const struct ec_keypair* pair);
 
+// Check if any word in <word_list> appears in <key>'s public key.
+// returns true if a word was found (stored in <word>), false otherwise.
+bool key_contains_word(const struct ec_keypair* key, const strlist_t& word_list, std::string& word);
+
 #endif /* KEY_SEARCH_HELPERS_H */