turnkey

American  

[turn-kee] / ˈtɜrnˌki /

noun

• turnkeys
  plural

1. a person who has charge of the keys of a prison; jailer.

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adjective

1. Also turn-key of, relating to, or resulting from an arrangement under which a private contractor designs and constructs a project, building, etc., for sale when completely ready for occupancy or operation.

   turn-key housing, turnkey contract.

2. fully equipped; ready to go into operation.

   a turnkey business.

turnkey British  

/ ˈtɜːnˌkiː /

noun

1. archaic a keeper of the keys, esp in a prison; warder or jailer

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adjective

1. denoting a project, as in civil engineering, in which a single contractor has responsibility for the complete job from the start to the time of installation or occupancy

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• turnkeys
  plural

Etymology

Origin of turnkey

First recorded in 1645–55; turn + key ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

turnkey turnkeys

It aims to be a turnkey partner for clinics that don’t offer home infusions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 7, 2026

As a result, “the home is the epitome of turnkey luxury,” the listing notes.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2025

The report further recommends launching a consortium of builders that could offer turnkey rebuilding solutions to property owners who prefer not to undertake the rebuilding on their own.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 2025

Ramirez isn’t expecting rates to drop soon and thinks buying when they did reduced the likelihood of bidding wars on their turnkey, four-bedroom house with a swimming pool and mountain view.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 6, 2024

Each time the turnkey brought him water, he told himself another day had passed.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

The veteran turnkeys consider the many rookies too green and soft.

From Time Magazine Archive

The rest of “us” consisted of a cook Davos never saw, six guardsmen in the ground-floor barracks, a pair of washerwomen, and the two turnkeys who looked after the prisoner.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

The fetters were taken off, and the turnkeys withdrew, locking the door behind them.

From A Twofold Life by Wilhelmine von Hillern

Prison bars might be sawn; turnkeys were very shortsighted.

From My Lords of Strogue, Vol. II (of III) A Chronicle of Ireland, from the Convention to the Union by Lewis Wingfield

Then, the spell removed, cursing himself and her, he went through a pantomime of anathema, battering the panels from within with heavy fists till the turnkeys ran out, supposing him to have been attacked.

From My Lords of Strogue Vol. III, (of III) A Chronicle of Ireland, from the Convention to the Union by Lewis Wingfield