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

Users should also ensure their accounts are fully protected, at least by two-factor authentication and ideally by passkeys. —Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025

In the event there is no passkey on the device being used to log in, a user can use a passkey for that site that’s already resident on a different device, which in most cases will be a phone. —Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 18 July 2025

In just three weeks, the company will delete passwords saved within its Authenticator app, which will just be for passkeys moving forward. —Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025

These tools, known as FIDO2 or WebAuthn passkeys, are far harder for hackers to fake or phish. —Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 10 July 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