day care

noun

variants or less commonly daycare

ˈdā-ˌker 

or day-care

1

: supervision of and care for children or physically or mentally disabled adults that is provided during the day by a person or organization

—often used before another noun

a day care center

day care workers

day-care facilities

2

: a program, facility, or organization offering day care

a child enrolled in day care

Examples of day care in a Sentence

She left work early to pick up her son from day care.

Recent Examples on the Web

The day before International Women’s Day, in 1982, twenty thousand women marched on the square, calling for practical reforms, such as workplace equality and free day care, along with an end to patriarchal oppression. — Maurice Samuels, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2026

The adult day care center caters to people with Alzheimer’s and dementia. — Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026

The early years are by far the priciest, largely because LendingTree counts day care only for a child’s first five years. — Martie Bowser, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026

Officials said Yangsim Oum and Juyoung Choe were taken into custody at their adult day care center on Forest Avenue. — Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for day care

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare

Kids Definition

day care

noun

1

: supervision of and care for children or disabled adults that is provided during the day by a person or organization

2

: a program, facility, or organization offering day care