baton

noun ba·ton \ bə-ˈtän , ba- also ˈba-tᵊn \

|Updated on: 12 Aug 2018

Examples: baton in a Sentence

Definition of baton

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

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See baton defined for kids

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 of baton from the Web

Michigan has 320 state park officers who are equipped with pepper spray, batons and handcuffs.

— steven pepple, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan state park police want guns, body armor, say it's a dangerous job," 8 July 2018
Wochit Three people are facing criminal charges after a road rage incident on I-65 that involved a handgun, a collapsible baton and marijuana.

— justin l. mack, Indianapolis Star, "Greenwood man accused of pointing gun while driving in I-65 road rage incident," 8 July 2018
One of the traffic stops resulted in the seizure of $12,000, heroin, a quarter-pound of methamphetamine, a Taser, two batons and a digital money counter, the Police Department said Tuesday.

— ktla, latimes.com, "3 arrested in connection with heroin, meth and weapons in Costa Mesa," 30 May 2018
Protestors set fire a local administrator’s office and burned more than 110 vehicles, according to police, who responded with batons and tear gas before firing on the crowd.

— eli meixler, Time, "Protests Against a Copper Plant in Southern India Turn Deadly as 12 People Are Killed by Police," 23 May 2018
Getty Images Known for conducting without a baton and maintaining a respectful distance from musicians, Mr. Boulez never married.

— j.s. marcus, WSJ, "Villa With a Musical Legacy: Pierre Boulez’s Home in Baden-Baden," 9 May 2018
One of them smashed a back window out with a baton and pulled the woman to safety.

— peter martinez, CBS News, "Officers rescue woman from SUV sinking in gator-infested lake," 7 May 2018
Intense body camera footage shows one officer pull a baton and begin smashing a rear driver's side window while another tries breaking the driver's side window with his fists.

— jay r. jordan, Houston Chronicle, "VIDEO: Sugar Land police rescue woman from sinking SUV in alligator-infested lake," 7 May 2018
Officers also discovered a crossbow, a collapsible baton and multiple chainsaws in the U-Haul.

— max londberg, kansascity, "They lured KC-area men with promises of sex, then robbed them. They're going to prison | The Kansas City Star," 27 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'baton.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of baton

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1520

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

baton Synonyms

Synonyms

bat, billy, billy club, bludgeon, cane, club, cudgel, nightstick, rod, shillelagh (also shillalah), staff, truncheon;

Related Words

blackjack, knobkerrie, mace;

birch, crabstick, hickory, rattan, stave, switch;

beetle, gavel, hammer, mallet, maul, sledgehammer;

crook, crosier (or crozier), walking stick;

Other Heraldry Terms

blazon, cachet, couchant, dormant, escutcheon, potent, standard, totem

BATON Defined for English Language Learners

baton

noun

Definition of baton for English Language Learners

: a thin stick that is used by a music conductor to lead a band or orchestra
: a long thin stick with a ball at one end or both ends that is carried by someone who performs with or leads a marching band
: a stick that is passed from one runner to the next runner in a relay race