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baton
(bə tän′, ba-; Brit ba′tän′)
noun
- a staff serving as a symbol of office
- 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
- a slender stick used by a conductor in directing an orchestra, choir, etc.
- ☆ 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
- the short, light rod passed from one runner to the next in a relay race
- Brit. a policeman's billy; truncheon
Origin: Fr bâton < OFr baston < VL *basto < LL bastum, stick, prob. of Gaul orig.
See baton in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
- Music A slender wooden stick or rod used by a conductor to direct an orchestra or band.
- A hollow metal rod with a heavy rubber tip or tips that is wielded and twirled by a drum major or drum majorette.
- A short staff carried by certain public officials as a symbol of office.
- Sports The hollow cylinder that is carried by each member of a relay team in a running race and passed to the next team member.
- A short stick carried by police; a billy club.
- Heraldry A shortened narrow bend, often signifying bastardy.
Origin:
Origin: French bâton
Origin: , from Old French baston, stick
Origin: , from Vulgar Latin *bastō, *bastōn-
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