day care

noun

variants or less commonly daycare
ˈdā-ˌker How to pronounce day care (audio)
or day-care
1
: supervision of and care for children or physically or mentally disabled adults that is provided during the day by a person or organization
—often used before another noun
a day care center
day care workers
day-care facilities
2
: a program, facility, or organization offering day care
a child enrolled in day care

Examples of day care in a Sentence

She left work early to pick up her son from day care.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In addition, the state is expected to lose $5 million that allows public schools and day care centers to buy fresh food from local farms. — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 18 Mar. 2025 As Gaber read the news reports on her phone, the dog was alive and well, resting at a pet day care facility in Santa Fe, along with the couple’s other dog, Nikita, a 7-year-old Akita-shepherd mix. — Rick Jervis, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025 The lack of official legal documents made Caroline ineligible for necessary services like day care and Medicaid health insurance. — Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 27 Feb. 2025 Parents of babies who go to day care also need bags with labels to distinguish them from others kept in the day care’s freezer. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for day care

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of day care was in 1898

Rhymes for day care

See All Rhymes for day care

Browse Nearby Words

day care
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Cite this Entry

“Day care.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/day%20care. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

day care

noun
1
: supervision of and care for children or disabled adults that is provided during the day by a person or organization
2
: a program, facility, or organization offering day care
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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