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contactless

American  
[kon-takt-lis] / ˈkɒn tækt lɪs /

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 British  
/ 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of contactless

First recorded in 2000–05; contact + -less


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

We got used to contactless delivery, app-based ordering, packages appearing at our doors and transactions completed without speaking to anyone.

From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026

Their solution was a specially designed contactless antenna feed.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 9, 2026

Passengers arriving into the UK will be able to pass through airport e-gates without showing their passport under a new contactless system, the government has announced.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

BioCharger sessions are contactless and last anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

Walmart is finally adding tap-to-pay options to its checkout lanes, after years of limiting contactless payments to its proprietary apps.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

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