token
noun · adjective · verb
Simple meaning
Something serving as a sign of something else.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
tohkuhnSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈtoʊkən
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
Something serving as a sign of something else
Something serving as an expression of something else.
A metal or plastic disk that can be redeemed or used in designated slot machines
A piece of stamped metal or plastic, etc., used as a form of currency; a voucher that can be exchanged for goods or services.
A minor attempt for appearance's sake, or to minimally comply with a requirement; a formality.
A small physical object, often designed to give the appearance of a common thing, used to represent a person or character in a board game or other situation.
adjective
Done as an indication or a pledge.
Perfunctory or merely symbolic; done or existing for appearance's sake, or to minimally comply with a requirement.
of people
Included in minimal numbers in order to create an impression or illusion of diversity, especially ethnic or gender diversity.
verb
To betoken, indicate, portend, designate, denote
To betroth
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Something serving as a sign of something else
Used this way, token is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Other combinations
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Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A form of behavior therapy that has been used in some mental institutions.
Coins of regular issue whose face value is greater than their intrinsic value.
A small payment made in acknowledgement of an obligation.
A gift voucher that can be exchanged for books costing up to an amount given on the voucher.
Keepsake given as a token of love.
A token that is used to pay for entry to the subway system.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.