token

noun to·ken \ ˈtō-kən \

|Updated on: 5 Jul 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: token in a Sentence

Definition of token

1 a : a piece resembling a coin issued for use (as for fare on a bus) by a particular group on specified terms

b : a piece resembling a coin issued as money by some person or body other than a de jure government

c : a unit of a cryptocurrency

Bitcoin tokens

2 : an outward sign or expression

his tears were tokens of his grief

3 a : symbol, emblem

a white flag is a token of surrender

b : an instance of a linguistic expression

4 a : souvenir, keepsake

b : a small part representing the whole : indication

this is only a token of what we hope to accomplish

c : something given or shown as a guarantee (as of authority, right, or identity)

5 : a member of a group (such as a minority) that is included within a larger group through tokenism; especially : a token employee

6 : a distinguishing feature : characteristic

— by the same token

: for the same reason

See token defined for English-language learners

See token defined for kids

Examples of token in a Sentence

please accept this parting gift as a token of our lasting affection

Recent Examples of token from the Web

The gain, which comes after the digital asset crashed through the $6,000 threshold last week for the first time since February, means the token has still lost about two-thirds of its value since reaching a record high of nearly $20,000 in December.

— Fortune, "Bitcoin Jumps Back Above $6,000 on Saturday," 30 June 2018
Included are four tokens that play the many musical machines inside.

— jennifer rude klett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "When visiting Spring Green's Taliesin or American Players Theatre, stop here, too," 29 June 2018
Which is why the jacket became a fresh token for speculation on the meaning of Melania.

— molly ball, Time, "Melania Trump Is Redefining One of the World’s Weirdest Jobs," 28 June 2018
At the time the bankruptcy proceedings started, bitcoin was worth $440 per token.

— shannon liao, The Verge, "Mt. Gox says it may start paying back creditors as soon as next year," 22 June 2018
In 1997, two longtime MBTA employees were arrested and charged with stealing at least $2,700 in cash and tokens from fare-vending machines.

— travis andersen, BostonGlobe.com, "Theft scandals have hit MBTA in the past," 20 June 2018
At home, a stack of condolence cards and tokens lays untouched, too painful to open.

— Washington Post, "Parkland mom: ‘Shooter may as well have just shot us’," 15 June 2018
Earlier this year, a couple was charged with pilfering a memorial to victims at Stoneman Douglas, taking teddy bears, plaques, pinwheels and other tokens of remembrance.

— skyler swisher, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Profiting from pain: 'Murderabilia' has macabre appeal to collectors," 13 June 2018
My experience with employment discrimination has not incited a desire to find opportunities to be workplace tokens.

— refinery29.com, "The Revolution Will Not Be Salaried," 31 May 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of token

Middle English, from Old English tācen, tācn sign, token; akin to Old High German zeihhan sign, Greek deiknynai to show — more at diction

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

token Synonyms

Synonyms

commemorative, keepsake, memento, memorial, monument, remembrance, reminder, souvenir;

Related Words

memorabilia;

relic, vestige;

cairn, landmark, marker;

testimonial, tribute;

cenotaph;

Synonym Discussion of token

sign, mark, token, note, symptom mean a discernible indication of what is not itself directly perceptible. sign applies to any indication to be perceived by the senses or the reason.

- encouraging signs for the economy

mark suggests something impressed on or inherently characteristic of a thing often in contrast to general outward appearance.

- a mark of a good upbringing

token applies to something that serves as a proof of something intangible.

- this gift is a token of our esteem

note suggests a distinguishing mark or characteristic.

- a note of irony in her writing

symptom suggests an outward indication of an internal change or condition.

- rampant crime is a symptom of that city's decay

token

adjective

Definition of token

1 a : representing no more than a symbolic effort : minimal, perfunctory

token resistance

token integration

b : serving or intended to show absence of discrimination

a token female employee

2 : done or given as a token especially in partial fulfillment of an obligation or engagement

a token payment

See token defined for English-language learners

Examples of token in a Sentence

All the people who work there are men except for a couple of token women.
The ad campaign features a few token minorities.

Recent Examples of token from the Web

Just to get seen or gain entry to a casting office for a role that isn’t the token gay kid takes 10 times the work.

— tommy dorfman, Teen Vogue, "Tommy Dorfman Shares What It's Like to Wear Gendered Clothes as a Non-Binary Person," 26 June 2018
This year, forgo the traditional bouquet of peonies or bottle of rosé, and go for a thoughtful beauty token that will last long after the fireworks.

— jenna rennert, Vogue, "13 Last-Minute Hostess Gifts for the Beauty Lover at Heart," 25 June 2018
Also, passengers must have a DDOT transfer to receive a People Mover token from DDOT personnel.

— caroline blackmon, Detroit Free Press, "Road closures, traffic and parking for Detroit fireworks," 25 June 2018
No offense to young Isabella Sermon, who is quite good as this movie’s token plucky child, Maisie, but everything surrounding the character is a disaster of bad story decisions.

— todd vanderwerff, Vox, "5 things to know about Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom," 5 June 2018
This wasn’t just some token move made by the network.

— bill goodykoontz, azcentral, "Why it's a good (and important) thing that ABC canceled 'Roseanne'," 29 May 2018
The retailer disclosed in March that the SEC had requested documents about a digital-token offering conducted by tZero, as part of an investigation.

— alexander osipovich, WSJ, "Market Players Envision Stock Exchange Powered by Blockchain," 23 May 2018
In that case, OSIsoft’s clients may want to use Streamr’s DATA token to share and trade their data amongst each other, which could also help OSIsoft attract customers, the company said.

— jen wieczner, Fortune, "HPE and Nokia Want to Let You Sell Your Own Data on the Blockchain," 16 May 2018
The atmosphere at the Emirates was far from toxic, and fans at the Clock End duly piped up when their West Ham counterparts started taking a crack at north London's most faithful servant, but the efforts felt token.

— SI.com, "From the Ground: Collective Failure to Launch Sees Arsene Wenger's Long Goodbye Splutter Into Life," 22 Apr. 2018

First Known Use of token

1915

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

TOKEN Defined for English Language Learners

token

noun

Definition of token for English Language Learners

: a round piece of metal or plastic that is used instead of money in some machines : an object that looks like a coin and is used in place of a coin
: something that is a symbol of a feeling, event, etc.

token

adjective

Definition of token for English Language Learners

—used to describe something that is done with very little effort and only to give the appearance that an effort is being made
: included in a group only to prevent criticism that people of a particular kind are being unfairly left out