Etymology Map
Back to all words

Baton

3 stages from Late Latin to English.

Today it means a thin stick used by a conductor or relay runner

Where does the word "baton" come from? It comes from Late Latin bastum, passing through French before entering English (1540s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
bastum
Late Latin · ancient
"stick"
a Late Latin word, possibly from Greek 'bastazein', to carry
2
Stage 2 of 3
bâton
French · 1500s
"stick"
a stick used as a weapon or badge of office
3
Stage 3 of 3
baton
English · 1540s
"staff of office"
a conductor's baton dates from the 1800s; relay batons from the 1900s
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Baton’s story begins in Late Latin: bastum meant “stick.” A Late Latin word, possibly from Greek 'bastazein', to carry. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in French as bâton. A stick used as a weapon or badge of office. It reached English by 1540s as baton. A conductor's baton dates from the 1800s; relay batons from the 1900s. Today, baton means a thin stick used by a conductor or relay runner.