latchkey
UK[ˈlætʃkiː]US[ˈlætʃˌkiː]
n
a key used to open a door or gate, especially the main door of a house from the outside.
n
(as modifier) relating to or characteristic of a child who returns to an empty home after school because their parents are at work.
Morpheme Breakdown
latch
key
latch
key
Etymology
the word "latchkey" is a transparent compound formed from two old english nouns, "latch" and "key." originally, a "latch" referred to a fastening device on a door that could be lifted from the outside by a lever or string, and later evolved to mean a type of lock that could be operated by a key. the compound "latchkey" literally means "a key for a latch," specifying the type of key used for the main door lock. its modern figurative use, describing children who let themselves into their homes, emerged in the mid-20th century, directly extending from the literal object that grants independent entry.
Analysis
Structure: latch + key
latch (from old english læccan, meaning "to seize or catch"; functional role: base noun denoting a fastening device) + key (from old english cǣg, meaning "a device for opening a lock"; functional role: base noun denoting a tool for operating a lock).
Examples
she rummaged in her bag for the latchkey to her apartment.
he was a latchkey child, accustomed to spending a few hours alone after school.
the old iron latchkey was heavy and worn from years of use.