古英語のtacen, sign, symbol, evidenceから、原語ゲルマン語*taiknam, symbol, signから、PIE*teik, to show, to displayから、語源的にはteach, digit, toeから。
英語の語源
token
token: [OE] A token is etymologically something that ‘shows’ you something. It comes from a prehistoric Germanic *taiknam, which also produced German zeichen ‘sign’. This in turn was formed from a base *taik- ‘show’, which also produced English teach. => teach
token (n.)
Old English tacen "sign, symbol, evidence" (related to verb t?can "show, explain, teach"), from Proto-Germanic *taiknam (cognates: Old Saxon tekan, Old Norse teikn "zodiac sign, omen, token," Old Frisian tekan, Middle Dutch teken, Dutch teken, Old High German zeihhan, German zeichen, Gothic taikn "sign, token"), from PIE root *deik- "to show" (see teach).
Meaning "coin-like piece of stamped metal" is first recorded 1590s. Older sense of "evidence" is retained in by the same token (mid-15c.), originally "introducing a corroborating circumstance" [OED].
token (adj.)
"nominal," 1915, from token (n.). In integration sense, first recorded 1960.
例文
1. You described her as the token woman on the shortlist.
あなたは彼女をファイナリストの象徴的な女性候補と形容します。
2.Don 't forget to clip the token and stick it on your card.
マークをカットして、カードに貼り付けるのを忘れないでください。
＜dl>＜dt＞3.By the same token ，the everlasting interdependence is actually an everlasting love.
まさに、永遠の依存であり、永遠の愛でもある。
4.This little gift is a token of our regard.
これっぽっちのプレゼントは私たちみんなの気持ちです。
5.We offer this small token by way of appreciation.