What does "turnkey" mean?

A system that is supplied ready to switch on and operate.

What is a synonym for "turnkey"?

Common synonyms include: bull, commandant, corrections officer, custodian, gaoler, governor.

Pronounced //ˈtɜː(ɹ)nˌkiː//.

//ˈtɜː(ɹ)nˌkiː// adj, noun, verb

adj, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Noun

1
A system that is supplied ready to switch on and operate.
"The hardware-software costs are packaged together. Turnkeys are either special purpose (e.g., only for one function such as libraries) or general purpose […]"
2
someone who guards prisoners wordnet
3
A warder or jailer; a keeper of the keys in a prison. archaic
"He saw the same Turnkey unfetter a man / With but little expedition, / Which put him in mind of the long debate / On the Slave-trade abolition."

Verb

1
To supply a turnkey product; to supply something fully assembled and ready to use. transitive
"We can sell you all the parts, or we can turnkey the entire unit."

Adjective

1
Ready to use without further assembly or test; supplied in a state that is ready to turn on and operate (typically refers to an assembly that is outsourced for manufacture).
"They wanted a turnkey solution for the entire system, but we could only provide the enclosure."

"The company offers turnkey solutions for small businesses."

From turn + key.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.