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

But the sudden change in ownership means Wentland will have to enroll her 4-year-old daughter in a new day care in the middle of the school year — and start paying for it herself. —Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025

As Prime Minister, Marin couldn’t pick Emma up from day care very often. —Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025

In day care, dogs are introduced to a range of new experiences while also learning positive behaviors such as sitting calmly for a nail trim, greeting other dogs politely, or coming when called. —Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025

Nearby schools, day care centers and offices abruptly closed or locked down after police got the call that there was an active shooter at the hospital. —Detroit Free Press, Freep.com, 28 Sep. 2025

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