padlock

noun

pad·​lock ˈpad-ˌläk How to pronounce padlock (audio)
: a removable lock with a shackle that can be passed through a staple or link and then secured
padlock transitive verb

Examples of padlock in a Sentence

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.
Officers found a boy under the age of 3 behind a wooden and metal enclosure secured with a padlock. Jenna Sundel, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024 The modern brass padlock has clicked everything shut, shining like the ring in the nose of an old bull who refuses to get up. Tomas Tranströmer, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024 While due process must be respected, here come the padlocks. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2024 The sickle, the padlock and certain types of wood found at the grave site were all believed at the time to hold magical properties protecting against vampires, according to the Nicolaus Copernicus team. Reuters, NBC News, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for padlock 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English padlok, from pad- (of unknown origin) + lok lock

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of padlock was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near padlock

Cite this Entry

“Padlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/padlock. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

padlock

noun
pad·​lock ˈpad-ˌläk How to pronounce padlock (audio)
: a removable lock with a curved piece that snaps into a catch
padlock verb

More from Merriam-Webster on padlock

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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