token
Meaning
a thing serving as a visible or tangible representation of a fact, quality, feeling, or abstract concept
a voucher that can be exchanged for goods or services, typically one given as a gift or offered as part of a promotional offer
an individual occurrence of a linguistic unit, especially a word, in speech or writing
Usage
Please accept this small gift as a token of my gratitude.
She inserted the token into the slot to operate the washing machine.
In the sentence "The cat sat on the mat", there are six word tokens.
Etymology
The word 'token' originates from the Old English 'tācen', which meant a sign, symbol, or portent. This Old English term is derived from a Proto-Germanic root 'taikna-', also meaning sign or symbol. This Germanic root is further traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root 'deik-', meaning to show or to point out, which is also the source of words like 'teach', 'digit', and 'dictate'. The core semantic thread from its ancient origin to its modern meanings is the concept of a physical object or mark that serves to indicate, represent, or point to something else, whether it be a feeling, a right to goods, or an instance in data.
Analysis
The word 'token' is a simplex word borrowed from Old English 'tācen', meaning a sign or symbol. It is not productively segmentable into smaller, meaningful morphemes within modern English spelling.