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

Google warns that more than half of users don’t even use two-factor authentication (2FA) yet, never mind passkeys, so there’s some serious ground to cover. —Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025

The push to passkeys is fueled by the tremendous costs associated with passwords. —Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2025

However, even passkeys are just one part of a broader movement toward frictionless, real-time identity. —Luke Boddis, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025

Now, Google has confirmed another automatic password change, but this time for Chrome passwords and with no mention of passkeys in sight. —Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 22 May 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