key card

noun

plural key cards
: a small usually plastic card that contains encoded data to electronically open or access something (such as a door or a system)
Hotel room doors are often accessed by a key card programmed by the front desk.Kara Godfrey
Morrill Hall has an open lobby but requires key cards to enter elevators to get to dorm rooms.The Associated Press State & Local Wire
… a plan to buy a $1 million key card voting system …Hillary Chabot

Examples of key card in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At one point, Cobos-Martinez went through Nagamallaiah’s pockets and took his phone and a lanyard with a key card, according to the affidavit. Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Sep. 2025 The Pixar Place entrance to DCA was locked behind a gate requiring a hotel key card to enter, according to MiceChat. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 8 Sep. 2025 Federal workers are showing up to work only to find their key cards deactivated. Lluvia Gaucin, IndyStar, 26 Aug. 2025 The next tier, Signature Membership, is for $1,000 a year and offers first-dibs on reservations and key card access, as well as discounts to Cascade Hotel and Sojourn Spa. Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for key card

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of key card was in 1966

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Cite this Entry

“Key card.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/key%20card. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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