latchkey

ˈlætʃˌkiː

Definition of latchkey - Reverso English Dictionary

Noun

home

child returning to an empty home after school

The latchkey kids gathered at the park after school.

latchkey kid

security

Dated

key for opening an outside door

Dated

He forgot his latchkey at home.

Adjective

family

describing a child who returns to an empty home

She was a latchkey child during her school years.

home-alone

unsupervised

home

Rare

equipped with a key for self-entry

Rare

The latchkey kids let themselves in after school.

keyed

self-locking

Add a suggestion |

Feedback:

Images of latchkey

key for opening an outside door

Expressions with latchkey

💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.

latchkey kid

child who spends part of the day unsupervised

As a latchkey kid, she learned to be independent and responsible.

latchkey child

school-age child left alone at home after school

The latchkey child waited for her parents to come home.

Origin of latchkey

English, latch (fasten) + key (tool)

Examples of latchkey in a sentence

Latchkey kids often have to entertain themselves until parents return.
She always carries her latchkey in her bag.
The old latchkey was rusty and hard to turn.
Latchkey kids often learn to be independent.
The latchkey generation grew up in the 1980s.
He grew up as a latchkey child, independent and resourceful.

Latchkey homes are common in the neighborhood.

View all translations of latchkey

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.

French:enfant autonome, indépendant, ...
German:Schlüsselkind, Schlüsselkinder, ...
Italian:bambino con la chiave di casa, autonomo, ...
Spanish:niño que vuelve solo a casa, de llave, ...
Portuguese:criança que regressa da escola a uma casa vazia, que volta para casa sozinha, ...
Chinese:独自在家的孩子, 独自在家的, ...
Japanese:鍵っ子, 鍵っ子の, ...
Arabic:طِفْل مِفْتَاح, طفل مفتاح, ...
Hebrew:יֶלֶד מַפְתֵּחַ, שֶׁל יֶלֶד שֶׁחוֹזֵר הַבַּיְתָה לְבַיִת רֵיק אַחֲרֵי בֵּית הַסֵּפֶר, ...
Russian:ребёнок с ключом на шее, самостоятельный, ...
Ukrainian:дитина з ключем на шиї, самостійний, ...
Hindi:स्कूल से लौटकर खाली घर में रहने वाला बच्चा, ऐसा जो स्कूल से लौटकर खाली घर में आता हो, ...
Bengali:স্কুল শেষে ফাঁকা বাড়িতে ফেরা শিশু, স্কুল থেকে ফিরে ফাঁকা বাড়িতে থাকতে হয় এমন, ...
Catalan:nen sol a casa, que torna a casa sol, ...
Czech:dítě vracející se po škole do prázdného bytu, vracející se po škole do prázdného bytu, ...
Danish:nøglebarn, hjemme-alene, ...
Dutch:sleutelkind, sleutelkinder, ...
Greek:παιδί που επιστρέφει από το σχολείο σε άδειο σπίτι, που επιστρέφει σε άδειο σπίτι μετά το σχολείο, ...
Hungarian:iskola után üres lakásba hazatérő gyerek, üres lakásba hazatérő, ...
Khmer:កុមារដែលត្រឡប់ទៅផ្ទះទទេក្រោយចេញពីសាលា, កុមារដែលត្រឡប់ទៅផ្ទះទទេដោយគ្មានមនុស្សពេញវ័យនៅផ្ទះ, ...
Korean:방과 후 빈 집에 돌아오는 아이, 돌봄이 없는 아이, ...
Persian:کودکی که بعد از مدرسه به خانه خالی برمی‌گردد, تنها, ...
Polish:dziecko z kluczem na szyi, dziecko z kluczem, ...
Portuguese (BR):criança que volta para casa vazia, sozinha, ...
Romanian:copil cu cheia de gât, singuratic, ...
Swedish:nyckelbarn, självinsläpp, ...
Thai:เด็กที่กลับบ้านเองหลังเลิกเรียน, ที่ต้องกลับบ้านมาอยู่บ้านตามลำพัง, ...
Turkish:okuldan sonra eve yalnız dönen çocuk, evde yalnız kalan, ...
Vietnamese:trẻ tự về nhà sau giờ học khi nhà không có người lớn, tự về nhà khi không có người lớn ở nhà, ...

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

100,000 expressions & idioms Understand any expression you come across: from corporate jargon like 💬 touch base or ↩️ circle back to everyday expressions such as 🌊 out of the blue or 🦆 lame duck, as well as idioms like 🍲 spill the beans and 🐎 hold your horses.

40,000 images When you search for a concrete noun or object, images help you grasp the meaning at a glance. Try searching for 🧵 puppytooth, 🎠 merry-go-round, ⚜️ fleur-de-lys, or 💤 bunk bed.

Informal language & slang Everyday conversations are packed with informal expressions and slang. Meanings are clearly tagged, so you'll always know when a word is casual. Look up hangry (😋 hungry + 😡 angry), 😎 rizz, 🕹️ noob, or 🔑 low-key.

Abbreviations & acronyms Quickly decode modern abbreviations and acronyms. Go from IDK to OMG in seconds and stay up to date with popular abbreviations such as 🐐 GOAT, 📜 tl;dr, 👀 POV, or 🖥️ AFK.

Regional usage (US / UK) Reverso highlights regional differences between American and British English. You’ll never have to wonder where a word is commonly used: try lift vs. elevator, courgette vs. zucchini, or popular British slang like dodgy or banter. What’s more, when you search for 'color', you’ll immediately see its British counterpart, 'colour'.

Get more than a simple definition

Translations for each meaning View translations alongside each meaning to see how a word is translated in each context. Simply toggle translations ON and choose among 25+ languages. You can also display the translation of definitions or examples into your native language to deepen your understanding.

Synonyms & related words by meaning View synonyms and related words for each meaning, not just for the word as a whole. This helps you choose the most accurate word for your context. Click the

icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.

Multiple examples for every meaning Each meaning comes with three real-life examples to show you how the word is used in different contexts. Click the

icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.

Go from understanding to mastery

Save words for later review Click the

icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the

icon next to it. For example, you might want to save the word “table” as a verb, which means “to postpone”.

Practice with personalized flashcards Reverso automatically transforms your searches and saved words into personalized flashcards and quizzes, featuring high-quality audio and usage examples. This helps you transform terms you only recognize into words you actually use confidently.

Learn with Netflix, YouTube, and your favorite texts With Reverso Chrome extension, transform movies, TV shows, articles, or song lyrics into an interactive lesson. Look up words and expressions in one click on any website and learn with your favorite content.