- a fee payment required from a new tenant of a house or flat before moving in
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
key′ mon′ey,
- Businessadvance rent or security required of a new tenant and given in exchange for the key to the house or apartment.
- Businessan amount of money paid, often secretly, to a landlord, superintendent, or current tenant by a person desiring future tenancy.
- 1895–1900
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key money n