day care

noun

variants or less commonly daycare 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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Carter and her husband pay $315 per month for part-time day care for one of their daughters and anticipate that figure growing to $570 per month once their youngest begins attending a half-day program at their church’s preschool. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 30 Oct. 2024 Rieger, like most moms in Germany, works part time, sending her kid to day care until 3:30 in the afternoon. Rachel M. Cohen, Vox, 30 Oct. 2024 Susan Montoya Bryan/AP A mother picks up her son from day care in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the family is eligible for subsidized child care. Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Oct. 2024 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Following an investigation into a Washington County day care that began last month, local authorities have arrested an employee for alleged child abuse and are also requesting charges against the day care's owner. Claudia Levens, Journal Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near day care

Cite this Entry

“Day care.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/day%20care. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

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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