contactless

[kon-takt-lis]

adjective

1. noting or relating to RFID technology or devices that use radio waves to relay identifying information to an electronic reader, so that the device does not need to be in direct contact with the reader.

   contactless credit and debit cards.

2. of or relating to an activity or interaction in which people do not touch one another or come into close proximity.

   contactless food delivery.

contactless

/ ˈkɒntæktlɪs /

adjective

1. without contacts

2. referring to payment systems which use RFID technology and do not require the customer's signature or pin number

Word History and Origins

Origin of contactless¹

First recorded in 2000–05; contact + -less

Example Sentences

No. The event is a contactless site.

From BBC

Fraudsters attach a physical device to a contactless payment reader on a parking machine and when you try to pay, the machine displays a "card declined" message.

From BBC

"Contactless readers should look like they're part of the machine. If something looks bolted on or mismatched, it's best not to risk it," he says.

From BBC

Apps to pay for parking were first introduced in L.A. in 2014, and the widespread adoption of contactless options was accelerated due to the pandemic.

From Los Angeles Times

"I tapped my contactless card, then a message displayed saying I needed to enter my PIN," she said.

From BBC