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

But casual collectors will be shifting some focus to football with the NFL season closing in and hardcore hobbyists have likely already done so to grab key cards at a discount. — Benjamin Burrows, New York Times, 7 July 2026

Basically, key cards are glorified versions of digital downloads. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 4 July 2026

The Empire State Building's highest public floor is the 102nd-floor observation deck, while access above that level requires a key card, according to the outlet. — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026

Going higher requires a key card, according to the court complaint. — Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for key card

• asgard
• backyard
• barnyard
• blackguard
• bombard
• brickyard
• canard
• churchyard
• coastguard
• courtyard
• debarred
• diehard