blockchain
Americannoun
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a structure used for a distributed or shared database consisting of discrete blocks of data, with each new block secured and connected to earlier ones by cryptography: used to create digital ledgers for cryptocurrency systems, among other things.
Several schools now offer courses in the technology behind blockchain.
Under the scheme, farmers would add information about their produce to a blockchain database that could quickly pinpoint contamination.
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a distributed or shared database created and populated using a structure consisting of discrete blocks of data, with each new block secured and connected to earlier ones by cryptography.
Once the transaction gets verified, it's recorded in the blockchain.
Etymology
Origin of blockchain
First recorded in 2010–15; block ( def. ) + chain ( def. )
Explanation
A blockchain is a shared computer database that's mainly used for keeping records of cryptocurrency transactions. When someone buys or sells Bitcoin, they use a blockchain to safely record the details. A blockchain works like a shared spreadsheet, with data entered into separate cells or columns. The special thing about blockchain is that once information is put into each block, it can't be changed, making it an extremely secure way to store data. The name blockchain comes from the blocks of data, linked together in chains through cryptography.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
First, West Coast investors were very bullish on the prospects for both AI and the adoption of blockchain technology.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 9, 2026
While transactions on the blockchain are public, who holds the key to any particular digital wallet isn’t.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026
The second order, on post-quantum cryptography, addresses a looming vulnerability: the rise of quantum computers powerful enough to unravel the public-key cryptography underpinning secure web browsing and blockchain networks.
From Barron's • Jun. 22, 2026
The bank is establishing a way for its wealthy and institutional clients to trade shares of private companies through a blockchain, a venture it hopes will be adopted by other banks across Wall Street.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
There have also been tickets allocated through a crypto-linked digital collectible system built on FIFA's blockchain.
From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
