turnkey

[ turn-kee ]

noun

, plural turn·keys.

1. a person who has charge of the keys of a prison; jailer.

adjective

1. Also turn-key. of, relating to, or resulting from an arrangement under which a private contractor designs and constructs a project, building, etc., for sale when completely ready for occupancy or operation:

   turn-key housing, turnkey contract.

2. fully equipped; ready to go into operation:

   a turnkey business.

turnkey

/ ˈtɜːnˌkiː /

noun

1. archaic.
   a keeper of the keys, esp in a prison; warder or jailer

adjective

1. denoting a project, as in civil engineering, in which a single contractor has responsibility for the complete job from the start to the time of installation or occupancy

Word History and Origins

Origin of turnkey¹

First recorded in 1645–55; turn + key ¹

Example Sentences

Ramirez isn’t expecting rates to drop soon and thinks buying when they did reduced the likelihood of bidding wars on their turnkey, four-bedroom house with a swimming pool and mountain view.

From Seattle Times

The simplicity of the "all in one" microcomb laser results in lower power demands, lower costs, high tunability, and a turnkey operation.

From Science Daily

For Bhamipuri, it was a bargain: a turnkey business in a prime neighborhood at a fraction of the cost of a stand-alone convenience store.

From Seattle Times

Pitch a tent, book a yurt or try out an REI turnkey camping setup — the choice is yours.

From Seattle Times

“We would have found more turnkey options if interest rates weren’t so high.”

From Seattle Times