latchkey child
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noun
a child who must spend at least part of the day alone and unsupervised, as when the parents are away at work.
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Also called door-key child.
Origin of latchkey child
First recorded in 1940–45; so called because such a child is provided with a key for getting into the home after school
Words nearby latchkey child
latch, latchet, latch hook, latching, latchkey, latchkey child, latch needle, latch on, latch onto, latchstring, late
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for latchkey child
British Dictionary definitions for latchkey child
latchkey child
noun
a child who has to let himself or herself in at home on returning from school, as his or her parents are out at work
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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