Where does “keycard” come from?

keycard (English) comes from English card, from Middle English carde, from Old French carte, from Latin charta, from French cartel, from Italian cartello, from Italian carta, from Latin carta — to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines.

keycard (English): A usually plastic card which stores a digital...

Definitions

  1. A usually plastic card which stores a digital...

Ancestry of “keycard”, step by step

keycard traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English card

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcardA playing card; Any game using playing cards; a...
2Middle Englishcardeplaying card
3Old FrenchcarteAlternative form of chartre
4Latinchartapapyrus, paper; poem, a writing; map
5Frenchcartela cartel
6Italiancartellosign, notice, placard, signboard; signpost, road...
7Italiancartapaper; map; menu
8Latincartapapyrus; letter etc
9Ancient Greekχάρτηςsheet of paper, paper; book
10Ancient Greekχαράσσωto sharpen; to engrave, carve, write, draw, stamp
11Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰer-to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines

via English key

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishkeyAn object designed to open and close a lock; An...
2EnglishcayA small, low island largely made of sand or coral
3SpanishCayokey island
4Taínocayosmall island
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer-
keycard — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer