Plural of baton; a stick or rod used by conductors to direct orchestras, or carried by runners in relay races, or used as a weapon by police.
From French 'bâton,' which derives from Latin 'baculum' meaning 'stick' or 'staff.' The word traveled through French courts and music traditions into English, gaining multiple specialized uses.
A conductor's baton is fascinating because it weighs almost nothing and creates no sound itself, yet it can control 100+ musicians—it's essentially a tool for making invisible patterns visible, which is why batons became so important in symphony orchestras.
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