ticket

1 of 2

noun

tick·​et ˈti-kət How to pronounce ticket (audio)
1
a
: a certificate or token showing that a fare or admission fee has been paid
b
: a means of access or passage
education is the ticket to a good job
2
: a summons or warning issued to a traffic-law violator
3
: a list of candidates for nomination or election : slate
4
: the correct or desirable thing
cooperation, that's the ticketK. E. Trombley
5
: a slip or card recording a transaction or undertaking or giving instructions
a savings deposit ticket
6
a
: a document that serves as a certificate, license, or permit
especially : a mariner's or airman's certificate
b
: tag, label
ticketless adjective

ticket

2 of 2

verb

ticketed; ticketing; tickets

transitive verb

1
: to furnish or serve with a ticket
ticketed for illegal parking
2
: to attach a ticket to : label
also : designate

Examples of ticket in a Sentence

Noun We bought tickets for the opera. I got a ticket for speeding. Verb He was ticketed for speeding. methods used for ticketing airline passengers
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The lucky player chose the Quick Pick option, meaning a lottery machine chose at least some of their ticket numbers at random, rules show. Simone Jasper, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025 More than 470,000 other Powerball tickets sold in the United States also won prizes ranging from $4 to $100,000, the lottery said. Don Sweeney, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 June 2025
Verb
In 2015, Heems, whose father drove a cab, rallied to get a taxi stand installed outside of Lower East Side institution the Punjabi Deli, which was facing eviction because its customer base — cab drivers — could no longer patronize the business without getting ticketed. Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 1 July 2025 Columbus is the 35th-biggest media market in the U.S., but its soccer team punches well above its weight in MLS’ financial rankings, with ticketing revenue and partnership revenue that both rank in the top quartile of MLS clubs during the past four years. Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for ticket

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French etiquet, estiquette note attached to something indicating its contents, from Middle French dialect (Picard) estiquier to attach, from Middle Dutch steken to stick; akin to Old High German sticken to prick — more at stick

First Known Use

Noun

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 6a

Verb

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of ticket was in 1529

Cite this Entry

“Ticket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ticket. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

ticket

1 of 2 noun
tick·​et ˈtik-ət How to pronounce ticket (audio)
1
: tag entry 1 sense 4, label
price ticket
2
: a summons or warning issued to a traffic offender
got a ticket for speeding
3
: a paper or token showing that a fare or admission fee has been paid
4
: a list of candidates
5
: a slip or card recording a business deal

ticket

2 of 2 verb
1
: to attach a ticket to : label
2
: to give a traffic ticket to
Etymology

Noun

from obsolete French etiquet "a notice attached to something," derived from early French estiquier "to attach"; of Dutch origin — related to etiquette

More from Merriam-Webster on ticket

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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