Standard Lemma guide

turnkey

adj · noun · verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈtɜː(ɹ)nˌkiː/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: tûrn'-kē
  • CMU ARPABET: T ER1 N K IY2 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Ready to use without further assembly or test; supplied in a state that is ready to turn on and operate (typically refers to an assembly that is outsourced for manufacture).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • They wanted a turnkey solution for the entire system, but we could only provide the enclosure.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A system that is supplied ready to switch on and operate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A warder or jailer; a keeper of the keys in a prison.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dub-cove

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To supply a turnkey product; to supply something fully assembled and ready to use.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • We can sell you all the parts, or we can turnkey the entire unit.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

someone who guards prisoners

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: prison guard, jailer, jailor, gaoler, screw

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: keeper, lawman, law officer, peace officer

History

Etymology

From turn + key. (jailer): Compare typologically Russian вертуха́й (vertuxáj) (akin to верте́ть (vertétʹ)).

Across languages

Translations

41 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: готов до ключ (gotov do ključ) — ready to use without further assembly
  • Chinese Mandarin: 交鑰匙 /交钥匙 (jiāoyàoshi) — ready to use without further assembly
  • Czech: na klíč — ready to use without further assembly
  • Danish: nøglefærdig — ready to use without further assembly
  • Dutch: kant-en-klaar — ready to use without further assembly
  • Finnish: avaimet käteen — ready to use without further assembly
  • French: clé en main — ready to use without further assembly
  • French: clés en main — ready to use without further assembly
  • German: schlüsselfertig — ready to use without further assembly
  • Hungarian: kulcsrakész — ready to use without further assembly
  • Italian: chiavi in mano — ready to use without further assembly
  • Norwegian: bruksklar — ready to use without further assembly
  • Polish: pod klucz — ready to use without further assembly
  • Russian: под ключ (pod ključ) — ready to use without further assembly
  • Spanish: llave en mano — ready to use without further assembly
  • Swedish: nyckelfärdig — ready to use without further assembly
  • Swedish: nyckelklar — ready to use without further assembly
  • Turkish: anahtar teslim — ready to use without further assembly
  • Bulgarian: ключар (ključar) — slang: warder
  • Bulgarian: тъмничар (tǎmničar) — slang: warder
  • Chinese Mandarin: 狱吏 (yùlì) — slang: warder
  • Chinese Mandarin: 看守 (kānshǒu) — slang: warder
  • Chinese Mandarin: 守卫 (shǒuwèi) — slang: warder
  • Dutch: cipier — slang: warder
  • Dutch: DE — slang: warder
  • Finnish: pamppu — slang: warder
  • French: guichetier — slang: warder
  • German: Gefangenenwärter — slang: warder
  • German: Gefangenenwärterin — slang: warder
  • German: Gefängniswärter — slang: warder
  • German: Gefängniswärterin — slang: warder
  • Greek: δεσμοφύλακας (desmofýlakas) — slang: warder
  • Italian: girachiavi — slang: warder
  • Polish: klawisz — slang: warder
  • Russian: тюре́мщик (tjurémščik) — slang: warder
  • Russian: надзира́тель (nadzirátelʹ) — slang: warder
  • Russian: вертуха́й (vertuxáj) — slang: warder
  • Spanish: llavero — slang: warder
  • Turkish: gardiyan — slang: warder
  • Turkish: zindancı — slang: warder
  • Ottoman Turkish: زندانجی (zindâncı) — slang: warder