latchkey

IPA/ˈlætʃkiː/
KK[lˈætʃkˌi]IPA/ˈlætʃkiː/

latchkey — noun

  • latchkeysingular
  • latchkeysplural

1. a child who spends time alone in the house after school while both parents are a

1.nounB1
Definition

a child who spends time alone in the house after school while both parents are away at work

Example

Both of Sayaka's parents worked late, so she became a latchkey child at age ten.

latchkey + child — attributive use

The community centre started an evening club for latchkey kids in the neighbourhood.

Common collocations
  • latchkey child
  • latchkey kid
  • latchkey student
  • latchkey programme
  • latchkey generation
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

latchkey + child / kid

Usage Note

The full phrase 'latchkey child' or 'latchkey kid' is much more common than the shortened form 'latchkey' used alone. This term appears mainly in news reports and social discussions about working parents and after-school supervision.

Common Mistakes

Sofia is a latchkey.
Sofia is a latchkey child.
The full phrase 'latchkey child' sounds more natural; using 'latchkey' alone to mean a child is uncommon and may confuse the listener.

2. a metal key that opens the main door people use to enter a home from outside

2.nounB1
Definition

a metal key that opens the main door people use to enter a home from outside

Example

Felix always kept a spare latchkey under the mat by the front door.

spare + latchkey — common modifier collocation

Théo turned the old iron latchkey carefully until the lock clicked open.

Common collocations
  • spare latchkey
  • front door latchkey
  • iron latchkey
  • latchkey to the house
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

spare / front door / old + latchkey

Usage Note

This literal sense is less common in everyday conversation than sense 1. Most English speakers today say 'house key' or 'front door key' instead of 'latchkey' when referring to the object. The word 'latchkey' for a key can sound slightly old-fashioned.

Common Mistakes

I need a spare latchkey for my car.
I need a spare key for my car.
A latchkey is only for a house or building door, not for a vehicle.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These three terms all describe children who spend time at home without adult supervision, but they differ in register and usage. 'Latchkey child' is the most established idiom — it appears widely in news media, policy reports, and everyday conversation, and it carries a slight historical weight tied to the post-WWII era when many mothers entered the workforce. 'Home-alone child' is a direct descriptive equivalent that anyone would understand, but it has not become a fixed term in the way 'latchkey child' has. 'Self-care child' is the most formal of the three; it is used mainly by educators, social workers, and researchers who want a neutral, non-judgmental label. In everyday speech, a parent might say 'My daughter is a latchkey kid now that I've gone back to work,' whereas a school report would refer to 'students in self-care arrangements.'

latchkey childhome-alone childself-care child

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Latchkey' is a compound of 'latch' (a simple fastening for a door) and 'key.' First recorded in English during the early 1800s, it literally meant a key for lifting a latch from outside. The figurative sense — a child who stays home alone with a house key — emerged in the 1940s, during and after World War II, when many parents worked long hours or served in the military and children had to let themselves into empty homes.

First known use

1825

1825, in the meaning defined above