Token Definition

tōkən

tokens

noun

tokens

A sign, indication, or symbol.

A token of one's affection.

Webster's New World

Something serving as a sign of authority, identity, genuineness, etc.

Webster's New World

A specific instance of a phenomenon or a class of things, as of a linguistic feature in a sample of a person's speech, that can be isolated for study or analysis.

American Heritage

A distinguishing mark or feature.

Webster's New World

A keepsake.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

verb

tokens

To be a token of; symbolize.

Webster's New World

To betoken, indicate, portend, designate, denote.

Wiktionary

To betroth.

Wiktionary

adjective

By way of a token, symbol, etc.

Webster's New World

Done as an indication or pledge.

A token payment.

American Heritage

Merely simulated; slight or of no real account.

Token resistance.

Webster's New World

Perfunctory; minimal.

A token gesture of reconciliation; token resistance.

American Heritage

Of or having to do with tokenism.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Synonyms:
nominal
tokenish

idiom

by the same token

In like manner; similarly.

American Heritage

in token of

As an indication of:
a ring given in token of love.

American Heritage

by the same token

for this reason; following the same line of reasoning

Webster's New World

in token of

as evidence of

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Token

Noun

Singular:

token

Plural:

tokens

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Token

by the same token
in token of
by the same token
in token of

Origin of Token

From Middle English token, taken, from Old English tācen (“symbol, sign, signal, mark, indication, suggestion; portent, marvel, wonder, miracle; evidence, proof: standard, banner"), from Proto-Germanic *taiknÄ… (“sign, token"), from Proto-Indo-European *deyǵ-, *deyḱ- (“to show, instruct, teach"). Cognate with Scots taiken (“sign, token"), West Frisian teken (“sign, token"), Dutch teken (“sign, symbol, token"), German Zeichen (“sign"), Swedish tecken (“sign, mark, indication, token"), Icelandic tákn, teikn (“sign, symbol"), Latin index (“finger", literally “pointer"), Ancient Greek δείκνυμι (deiknumi, “show, point out, teach"), Albanian theks (“accent, sign"). More at toe.

From Wiktionary
Middle English from Old English tācen deik- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition