blockchain

noun

block·​chain ˈbläk-ˌchān 

: a digital database containing information (such as records of financial transactions) that can be simultaneously used and shared within a large decentralized, publicly accessible network

also : the technology used to create such a database

The technology at the heart of bitcoin and other virtual currencies, blockchain is an open, distributed ledger that can record transactions between two parties efficiently and in a verifiable and permanent way.

—Marco Iansiti and Karim R. Lakhani

Examples of blockchain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The innovation enables an autonomous drone to record important operational and sensor data directly onto a blockchain during flight, creating a secure and tamper-resistant record of its activities. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Mar. 2026

Is there any chance Berkshire could pursue a crypto or blockchain opportunity? —Alex Crippen, CNBC, 7 Mar. 2026

Instead of relying on decades-old networks, consumers can send and receive dollars instantly on blockchains. —Ben Weiss, Fortune, 3 Mar. 2026

This announcement aligns with broader signs of growing institutional interest in applying blockchain to corporate governance, rather than treating it as a speculative opportunity. —Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

2011, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for blockchain

• abstain
• airplane
• alkane
• arcane
• arraign
• attain
• backplane
• betaine
• biplane
• butane
• campaign
• cetane