baton

[buh-ton, ba-, bat-n]

noun

1. Music.,  a wand used by a conductor.

2. a rod of lightweight metal fitted with a weighted bulb at each end and carried and twirled by a drum major or majorette.

3. Track.,  a hollow rod of wood, paper, or plastic that is passed during a race from one member of a relay team to the next in a prescribed area.

4. a staff, club, or truncheon, especially one serving as a mark of office or authority.

   Synonyms: caduceus, fasces, wand, rod, crosier, scepter, mace

5. Heraldry.

   1. a diminutive of the bend sinister, couped at the extremities: used in England as a mark of bastardy.

   2. a similar diminutive of the ordinary bend.

baton

/ -tɒn, ˈbætən /

noun

1. a thin stick used by the conductor of an orchestra, choir, etc, to indicate rhythm or expression

2. 1. a short stick carried for use as a weapon, as by a policeman; truncheon

   2. ( as modifier )

      a baton charge

3. athletics a short bar carried by a competitor in a relay race and transferred to the next runner at the end of each stage

4. a long stick with a knob on one end, carried, twirled, and thrown up and down by a drum major or drum majorette, esp at the head of a parade

5. a staff or club carried by an official as a symbol of authority

6. heraldry a single narrow diagonal line superimposed on all other charges, esp one curtailed at each end, signifying a bastard line

baton

1. A stick used by some conductors of choruses or orchestras. The baton is traditionally used to indicate the tempo of the music.

Word History and Origins

Origin of baton¹

1540–50; < Middle French bâton, Old French baston < Vulgar Latin *bastōn- (stem of *bastō ) stick, club; compare Late Latin bastum staff

Word History and Origins

Origin of baton¹

C16: from French bâton , from Late Latin bastum rod, probably ultimately from Greek bastazein to lift up, carry

Example Sentences

"I wrote him a letter, before they started, passing the baton as it were," he said.

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The next to take the baton is the United States.

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Moments later, cued by a downward strike of the conductor’s baton, the music swelled and filled the theater.

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But this person also said, if the president did decide to sue, the BBC would have to "baton down - and get the best lawyers in Florida".

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Hairdresser Fariba Aghai, 44, was delighted to see a woman take up the baton at the orchestra, lamenting that women singers still can't perform at concerts or publish their own songs.

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Related Words

• cudgel 
• mace 
• nightstick www.thesaurus.com
• rod 
• truncheon 
• wand