# baton

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbætɒn/ · frequency rank #12,190

## Definitions
1. A staff or truncheon, used for various purposes.
2. A ceremonial staff of a field marshal or a similar high-ranking military office.
3. The stick of a conductor in musical performances.
4. An object transferred by runners in a relay race.
5. A rod twirled in a marching band's performance, in a gymnastic sport, or in juggling.
6. A short stout club used primarily by policemen.
7. A bend with the ends cut off, resembling a baton, typically borne sinister, and often used as a mark of cadency, initially for both legitimate and illegitimate children, but later chiefly for illegitimate children.
8. A short vertical lightweight post, not set into the ground, used to separate wires in a fence.
9. A batonnet, a long slice of a vegetable, thicker than a julienne.
10. A short baguette.

## Etymology
From French bâton. Doublet of baston.

## Easily confused with
- **BON** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-bon)
- **bats** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-bats)
- **boon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-boon)
- **Beto** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-beto)
- **batt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-batt)
- **Byron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-byron)
- **bison** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-bison)
- **bayou** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-bayou)
- **Botox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-botox)
- **boron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-boron)
- **batty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-batty)
- **boson** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-boson)
- **Boston** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-boston)
- **button** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-button)
- **beaten** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-beaten)
- **Burton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-burton)
- **beacon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-beacon)
- **Bolton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-bolton)
- **Benton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-benton)
- **Breton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-breton)

## Common misspellings (7)
`abton`, `baotn`, `batno`, `batonn`, `batton`, `bbaton`, `btaon`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/baton