locksmith

American  

[lok-smith] / ˈlɒkˌsmɪθ /

noun

1. a person who makes or repairs locks and keys.

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locksmith British  

/ ˈlɒkˌsmɪθ /

noun

1. a person who makes or repairs locks

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Other Word Forms

• locksmithery noun
• locksmithing noun

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

On a recent wintry night, Nodler was excited to spot two familiar guests at a table enjoying chicken schnitzel and homemade milk bread: the butcher shop owner and town locksmith.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 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

The locksmith eventually produced an invoice for £2,802, writing that he would not charge the couple VAT.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

A couple initially expecting to pay less than £50 for a locksmith ended up victims of a "bait-and-switch scam" which ended up costing them more than £5,000, an investigation has found.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

From his rucksack the locksmith produces a loaf of bread and some links of white sausage and they eat these quietly and then he lifts her feet into his lap.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr