locksmith
Americannoun
-
locksmiths
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of locksmith
1200–50; Middle English loksmith (first attested as surname). See lock 1, smith
Explanation
If your job is installing locks on people's houses and fixing their broken locks, you can call yourself a locksmith. A locksmith knows all about locks; she makes them, puts them on doors, and repairs them. If you've ever locked yourself out of your house, the person to call for help is a locksmith. When you need a new copy of your apartment key, you can also visit a locksmith. The word comes from lock and smith, from the Old English smið, "one who works with metal."
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:
When a property is clearly abandoned, Thogmartin has the authority to hire a locksmith to allow for a full inspection by potential bidders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
He said he’s now considering switching to a different career, such as locksmith or watchmaker.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Her brother Trevor, a locksmith and security systems expert, helps her in and out of the buildings - with intel from The Inside Man, Etienne, who is Belgian-British.
From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2026
A relative called the first locksmith company that came up on an internet search, saying 24/7 Locksmiths UK quoted the family £49 to get them back inside.
From BBC ● Jan. 29, 2026
I told him about the tuxedo on the chair, and how I had broken the vase, and found the key, and the locksmith, and the envelope, and the art supply store.
From "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer
Such orders can be used to seek compensation for locksmiths and lost wages, as well as expediting access to CalFresh and other safety-net programs.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 17, 2024
By determining protein structure, scientists can create blueprints that guide development of more effective medications, much like locksmiths designing keys to fit into specific locks.
From Science Daily ● May 15, 2024
Among those mentioned: accountants, architects, counselors, dental hygienists, court reporters, locksmiths, morticians, midwives, plumbers and therapists.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 16, 2022
The company has even partnered with local locksmiths to push it on building managers while they fix locks.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 22, 2021
The five or six locksmiths in the town were given more orders for locks, bolts, iron bars, and patent keys than they could execute.
From The Fourth Estate, vol.1 by Armando Palacio Vald?s
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
