passkey

noun

pass·​key ˈpas-ˌkē 

plural passkeys

1

: a key that provides special access (as to a secure area)

… left his swipe-card passkey behind when he stepped outside the tower's secure door and was unable to get back in …

—UPI.com

: such as

a

: a key designed to open any of a set of similar locks : master key

b

: a key with a large part of the bit filed away to enable it to open low quality locks as a master key : skeleton key

2

: an authentication method that uses biometrics (such as fingerprint or facial recognition) to identify and grant access to an authorized user

You'll have one passkey per login, and passkeys will sync across all of your devices …

—Juli Clover

Instead of a vulnerable password, passkeys work by using your biometric data as your login 'fingerprint.' For example, you could use the Touch ID button on a Mac or a facial recognition scanner on your smartphone to log in to your account. No typing required.

—digitaltrends.com

Examples of passkey in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many companies already use biometrics and passkeys to distinguish legitimate users from fraudsters. —Sam Birchall, Fortune, 1 June 2026

Instead, Microsoft wants more people to use passkeys and verified email. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026

When setting up new Windows PCs or temporary virtual machines, the biometric data may not be so readily available, and setting up a passkey every time can be laborious. —Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 21 May 2026

GitHub says that users should enable two-factor authentication and add a passkey for good measure by way of account protection. —Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for passkey

• ascii

Kids Definition

passkey

noun

pass·​key ˈpas-ˌkē 

1

: a key for opening two or more locks

2

: skeleton key