key card
noun
plural key cards
: a small usually plastic card that contains encoded data to electronically open or access something (such as a door or a system)
Hotel room doors are often accessed by a key card programmed by the front desk.—Kara Godfrey
Morrill Hall has an open lobby but requires key cards to enter elevators to get to dorm rooms.—The Associated Press State & Local Wire
… a plan to buy a $1 million key card voting system …—Hillary Chabot
Cite this Entry
“Key card.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/key%20card. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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