baton

noun

ba·​ton bə-ˈtän 

ba-,

also

ˈba-tᵊn 

plural batons

1

: cudgel, truncheon

specifically : billy club

2

: a staff borne as a symbol of office

3

: a narrow heraldic bend

4

: a slender rod with which a leader directs a band or orchestra

5

: a hollow cylinder carried by each member of a relay team and passed to the succeeding runner

6

: a hollow metal rod with a weighted bulb at one or both ends that is flourished by a drum major or drum majorette

7

: a piece of food that has been cut into a narrow strip that is thicker than a julienned piece of food

We cut carrots into slabs, then batons, then dice.

—Janet Rausa Fuller

Synonyms

• bastinado
• bastinade
• bat
• billy
• billy club
• bludgeon
• cane
• club
• cudgel
• nightstick
• rod
• rung [Scottish]
• sap
• shillelagh
• shillalah
• staff
• truncheon
• waddy [Australian]

Examples of baton in a Sentence

The majorette twirled the baton.

the detainee claimed that the police had beat him with their batons even after he had been shackled

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s true for The War and Treaty, who want to take the baton from the hundreds of entertainers who have preceded them. —Tom Roland, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2024

But how many of us really know the man wielding the baton behind the legend that is John Williams? —Josh Weiss, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024

Iger exited as Disney CEO in 2020, handing the baton to parks boss Bob Chapek. —Tony Maglio, IndieWire, 21 Oct. 2024

Narasimhan spent a few months learning the ropes from Schultz before taking the baton. —Paulina Likos, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French bâton, from Old French baston, ultimately from Late Latin bastum stick

First Known Use

1520, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing baton

• passed the baton

Kids Definition

baton

noun

ba·​ton bə-ˈtän 

ba-

1

: a staff borne as a symbol of office

2

: a stick with which a leader directs a band or orchestra

3

: a hollow rod passed from one member of a relay team to another

4

: a staff with a ball at one or both ends carried by a drum major or baton twirler