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
How much is a Powerball lottery ticket today? Chris Sims, IndyStar, 5 Oct. 2025 Group ticket packages are also available. Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
The program’s aim was to provide safety to children who use public school buses by ticketing drivers who pass the extended stop arms of buses receiving and dropping off students. Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025 Streaming and ticketing links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 2 Oct. 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 8 Oct. 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

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