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

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

The other critical advice is to use a non-SMS form of two-factor authentication and to add a passkey. —Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025

While the app will still support two-factor authentication (2FA) and passkeys, its days as a password manager are officially over. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2025

In the meantime, people relying on passkeys should carry on. —Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 18 July 2025

Changing a password to prevent an attack, as in the advice to switch to a more secure technology such as passkeys, makes sense. —Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2025

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