Meaning & use
latchkey kid
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
a child who regularly comes home from school to an empty house because no adult is there, often carrying a key to let themselves in
Grammar: Countable: use 'a latchkey kid' or 'latchkey kids' in the plural.
Patterns
- a latchkey kid
- latchkey kids
- be a latchkey kid
As both parents worked long hours, he became a latchkey kid by the age of nine.
The study looked at how latchkey kids manage their after-school time.
She kept her key on a string around her neck, a typical latchkey kid.
Word forms
| plural | latchkey kids |
|---|
Common combinations
- a typical latchkey kid
- He was a typical latchkey kid, letting himself in and making his own snack.
- become a latchkey kid
- Many children become latchkey kids when their parents start working shifts.
- latchkey kid generation
- The latchkey kid generation grew up learning to be independent.
Synonyms and how they differ
- unsupervised child
- This is a broader and more formal term; it does not specifically mention coming home to an empty house or carrying a key.
Word family
- latchkey noun
- a key used to open a door from the outside, especially a house key
Commonly confused: latchkey kid or latch?
latchkey kid vs latch
A latch is a small metal bar used to keep a door or gate closed; a latchkey is a key for a door with a latch.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'latchkey kid' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The second option correctly describes a child who comes home to an empty house and lets themselves in. The first option does not mention being alone, the third suggests others are home, and the fourth wrongly says they do not attend school.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “latchkey kid”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.