day care

American  

[dey kair] / ˈdeɪ ˌkɛər /

noun

• day cares
  plural

1. supervised daytime care for preschool children, the elderly, or those with chronic disabilities, usually provided at a center outside the home.

   Finding quality day care that we can afford has been challenging.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or providing day care.

   daycare center;

   day-care program.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• day cares
  plural

Etymology

Origin of day care

First recorded in 1895–1900 for noun, and 1940–45 for adjective

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

day care

Under the planned tax credit in Connecticut, caregivers can receive up to $2,000 a year for expenditures for home modifications, necessary medical equipment and services like home health aides, adult day care and respite care.

From MarketWatch ● May 20, 2026

Placing an infant in an early childhood or day care center can cost parents annually an average of $15,000.

From Salon ● Mar. 20, 2026

Many provided little more than glorified day care.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 8, 2026

Most caregivers do not delve into the details of the cost of a private room versus a shared room, or adult day care versus home care, until they are in the thick of it.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 4, 2026

The little girl had to pick up the baby at day care and watch him until Caroline got home at about 8:00 p.m., which means she didn’t get much chance to go outside and play.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

Related Words

• child care
• daycare
• nursery
• nursery school
• preschool