Synonyms

skeleton key

American

noun

a key with nearly the whole substance of the bit filed away so that it may open various locks.

skeleton key British

noun

Also called: passkey. a key with the serrated edge filed down so that it can open numerous locks

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of skeleton key

First recorded in 1800–10

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.

Introducing the 688-page biography this way seems designed to address Musk’s recent turn towards combativeness and cruelty — if not justifying it, then offering a skeleton key to understanding where it’s rooted.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 11, 2023

“Microsoft should not have had a single skeleton key that, when inevitably stolen, could be used to forge access to different customers’ private communications.”

From Seattle Times • Aug. 11, 2023

For Grilley, skeletal variation is a kind of skeleton key.

From Slate • May 6, 2023

Those looking for a felt skeleton key to unlock his various idiosyncrasies aren’t likely to find one.

From New York Times • Mar. 11, 2023

My Liberty Head silver dollar, fishing lure, and skeleton key.

From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023