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’ve decided that this is the right time for me to hand over the leadership baton to the next generation,” Silverman said in a statement.

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And Asia was happy to pick up the baton.

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He thinks the Democratic nominee will pick up the baton from de Blasio, who “took those programs away from communities that desperately needed them and wanted them.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Although familiar faces remain from the start of her tenure, Bright's international retirement is the latest from a historic generation that is starting to pass on the baton.

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Police said workers of TLP "resorted to stone pelting, spiked batons, and petrol bombs" and opened "indiscriminate fire, resulting in casualties among civilians and law enforcement personnel".

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

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