English Lexicon

Swipe-card

/ˈswaɪp.kɑːd/
nounCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #14500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A plastic card containing a magnetic stripe or embedded chip that is pulled through an electronic reading device to gain entry to a building or authorize a transaction.

    "Employees must use their swipe-card to enter the secure research facility."
  2. 2

    A card used to record working hours by passing it through a time-clock terminal.

    "He clocked in by running his swipe-card through the reader at the factory entrance."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The term is a compound of the verb 'swipe' (originating in the late 18th century meaning to strike or move with a sweeping stroke, later adapted for passing a magnetic strip rapidly through a reader) and the noun 'card' (derived from the Latin 'charta' via French). It emerged in the late 20th century alongside the widespread commercial and security adoption of magnetic stripe technology for access control and financial transactions.

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