Baton \Bat"on\, n. [F. b[^a]ton. See Baston.]

1. A staff or truncheon, used for various purposes; as, the baton of a field marshal; the baton of a conductor in musical performances.

He held the baton of command. --Prescott.

2. (Her.) An ordinary with its ends cut off, borne sinister as a mark of bastardy, and containing one fourth in breadth of the bend sinister; -- called also bastard bar. See Bend sinister.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)