latchkey — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A key, especially to an outside door.

   Synonyms

   check key

Adjective

1. Pertaining to unsupervised children in afterschool care contexts.

   Usage

   • not-comparable

   Examples

   In fashionable Potomac, for instance, almost 50 percent of the nonparental care was latchkey.

   Be available as a "safety net" for the parents, especially if both parents work and/or the child is latchkey.

   More examples (1)

   When coded, it was found that 224 children were latchkey or bordering on latchkey status.

Verb

1. To open something by means of a latchkey.

   Usage

   • Transitive

Noun

1. key for raising or drawing back a latch or opening an outside door

   Broader terms

   key