day care

American  

[dey kair] / ˈdeɪ ˌkɛər /

noun

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.

Etymology

Origin of day care

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

Example Sentences

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

“I have to make arrangements to make sure that my day care is a priority so that I can be able to go to work,” Locke said.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2026

So far, several states including New York, Maryland, and Oregon have released statements that they’re rejecting the new CDC recommendations for school and day care entry requirements.

From Slate • Jan. 9, 2026

She moved in with her mother in Queens but found it impossible to get to her job in New Jersey from there, in addition to taking her youngest child to day care every morning.

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

Related Words

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