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

Network upgrades that speed up transactions and reduce costs eliminate real-world barriers that keep people from using blockchain platforms. —Matthew Kayser, Freep.com, 30 Jan. 2026

Applications for tokenization vary and can include digitization, fractionalization, or even recording securities on blockchain. —Cleve Mesidor, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026

Possessing its own stablecoin is also likely to make Fidelity’s various wealth management platforms more efficient since moving dollars on a blockchain is cheaper and faster than using traditional networks like ACH. —Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026

Retailers are exploring blockchain to verify sourcing claims. —Matthew Kayser, Idaho Statesman, 20 Jan. 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