Token has two senses. (1) In AI, a token is a chunk of text (a word or part of a word) the model processes. (2) In crypto, a token is a digital asset on a blockchain. Tech jargon. Worth a chat if your kid is buying crypto tokens; they often lose value. If your kid uses it constantly, ask them where they first heard it, not to police their speech but to understand which online community they are in.
token
The unit LLMs read and produce — roughly 3/4 of a word in English.
ˈtoʊ.kənDocumented since 2010s2010sGen AlphatrendingCurrent310 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026＋ Add a definition
Seen in the wild
3 citations · last seen May 2026
Etymology timeline
Born ~2017 · 1 year of recorded useSeen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
Current World of Warcraft token prices Americas: 270028 Europe: 356800 Korea: 234237 Taiwan: 662977 Check more at https://www.wow-price.com
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BlueskyMay 2026
Lars Faye’s “Agentic Coding is a Trap” argues that orchestrating LLM agents to write big chunks of code creates cognitive debt, skill atrophy, vendor lock-in, and unpredictable token spend. Use LLMs for planning/resea…
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BlueskyMay 2026
🍂 "I'm the token straight friend now, aren't I?" #heartsky
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Wikipedia: Non-fungible token
Because NFTs are uniquely identifiable, they differ from cryptocurrencies (which are fungible, hence the name non-fungible token), and as a result they can't be copied, substituted, or subdivided.
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Wikipedia: Non-fungible token
A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unique digital identifier that is recorded on a blockchain and is used to certify ownership and authenticity.
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Definitions
Global
+645100%
#1·Apr 24, 2026Global
The unit LLMs read and produce — roughly 3/4 of a word in English. Context windows, pricing, and rate limits are all measured in tokens. "The prompt was 8k tokens and cost 3 cents." Tokens are the chemistry of generative AI; everything technical eventually reduces to them.
"The prompt was 8k tokens and cost 3 cents."
Origin: Tech / AI / developer industry term.
For parents
Token has two senses. (1) In AI, a token is a chunk of text (a word or part of a word) the model processes. (2) In crypto, a token is a digital asset on a blockchain. Tech jargon. Worth a chat if your kid is buying crypto tokens; they often lose value. If your kid uses it constantly, ask them where they first heard it, not to police their speech but to understand which online community they are in.
For ESL learners
Token has multiple specialised senses: (1) NLP/AI: a unit of text input to a model (often a word or sub-word), (2) cryptocurrency: a blockchain-based digital asset, (3) general: a representative item. Use in tech contexts. Formal equivalent: depends on context. Common non-native mistake: confusing the senses. Always disambiguate by context. The AI sense is most common in current tech writing. Read or listen to the word in context several times before trying it yourself; the right register is harder to learn than the dictionary meaning.
Cluster: ai_specific
Heard in the wild
“Current World of Warcraft token prices Americas: 270028 Europe: 356800 Korea: 234237 Taiwan: 662977 Check more at https://www.wow-price.com”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Lars Faye’s “Agentic Coding is a Trap” argues that orchestrating LLM agents to write big chunks of code creates cognitive debt, skill atrophy, vendor lock-in, and unpredictable token spend. Use LLMs for planning/research/small tasks you can fully review.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“🍂 "I'm the token straight friend now, aren't I?" #heartsky”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Because NFTs are uniquely identifiable, they differ from cryptocurrencies (which are fungible, hence the name non-fungible token), and as a result they can't be copied, substituted, or subdivided.”
“A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unique digital identifier that is recorded on a blockchain and is used to certify ownership and authenticity.”
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IN
#15·May 2, 2026IN
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.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#21·May 2, 2026Global
Ten and a half quires, or, commonly, 250 sheets, of paper printed on both sides; also, in some cases, the same number of sheets printed on one side, or half the number printed on both sides.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Show 18 more dictionary-style senses (imported)
Global
#2·May 2, 2026Global
Support for a belief; grounds for an opinion.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#3·May 2, 2026Global
Done as an indication or a pledge.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#4·May 2, 2026Global
A piece of stamped metal or plastic, etc., used as a form of currency; a voucher that can be exchanged for goods or services.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#5·May 2, 2026Global
A particular thing to which a concept applies.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#6·May 2, 2026Global
Evidence, proof; a confirming detail; physical trace, mark, footprint.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#7·May 2, 2026Global
In a loom, a colored signal to show the weaver which shuttle to use.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#8·May 2, 2026Global
An extraordinary event serving as evidence of supernatural power.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#9·May 2, 2026Global
Included in minimal numbers in order to create an impression or illusion of diversity, especially ethnic or gender diversity.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#10·May 2, 2026Global
A piece of metal given beforehand to each person in the congregation who is permitted to partake of the Lord's Supper.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#11·May 2, 2026Global
To symbolize, instantiate
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#12·May 2, 2026Global
Something serving as an expression of something else.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#13·May 2, 2026Global
Perfunctory or merely symbolic; done or existing for appearance's sake, or to minimally comply with a requirement.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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IN
#14·May 2, 2026IN
To betoken, indicate, portend, designate, denote
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#16·May 2, 2026Global
A minor attempt for appearance's sake, or to minimally comply with a requirement; a formality.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#17·May 2, 2026Global
A physical object used for exchange between drivers and signalmen on single track lines.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#18·May 2, 2026Global
A seal guaranteeing the quality of an item.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#19·May 2, 2026Global
Something given or shown as a symbol or guarantee of authority or right; a sign of authenticity, of power, good faith.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Global
#20·May 2, 2026Global
An object or disclosure to attest or authenticate the bearer or an instruction.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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⚡About Tech, Dev & AI slang
The vocabulary of software engineers, AI researchers, and anyone living in a terminal or on GitHub — from LLM to MCP, CORS to vibe coding, agentic to enshittification.
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Other words near "token" (T)
tog bagtogstohtoheroatohungatoilettoken arctoken checktoken codedtoken energytoken failtoken grabbing
Browse all slang words starting with T.
Related terms
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Semantically related
- context window67%
The maximum amount of text an LLM can "see" at once, measured in tokens. Longer windows let models process whole codebases or novels in a single request. Claude's 1M-token context unlocked whole-repo pair programming in 2025.
- context collapse57%
When an LLM's context window fills up with too much scattered history and it starts losing track of the actual task. The 1M-token era made this a common failure mode.