noun

1. a staff serving as a symbol of office
2. Heraldry a short, narrow bend: in England, a baton placed diagonally right to left (as seen by the viewer) and cut short at both ends signifies bastardy
3. a slender stick used by a conductor in directing an orchestra, choir, etc.
4. ☆ a hollow metal rod, with a knob at one or at each end, twirled in a showy way by a drum major or drum majorette
5. the short, light rod passed from one runner to the next in a relay race
6. Brit. a policeman's billy; truncheon

Etymology: Fr bâton < OFr baston < VL *basto < LL bastum, stick, prob. of Gaul orig.