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}.