The difference between Symbol and Token

When used as nouns, symbol means a character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object, whereas token means something serving as an expression of something else.

When used as verbs, symbol means to symbolize, whereas token means to betoken, indicate, portend, designate, denote.


Token is also adjective with the meaning: done as an indication or a pledge.

check bellow for the other definitions of Symbol and Token

  1. Symbol as a noun:

    A character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object.

    Examples:

    "$ is the symbol for dollars in the US and some other countries."

    "Chinese people use word symbols for writing."

    "The lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb is the symbol of meekness or patience."

  2. Symbol as a noun:

    Any object, typically material, which is meant to represent another (usually abstract) even if there is no meaningful relationship.

    Examples:

    "The dollar symbol has no relationship to the concept of currency or any related idea."

  3. Symbol as a noun (linguistics):

    A type of noun whereby the form refers to the same entity independently of the context; a symbol arbitrarily denotes a referent. See also icon and index.

  4. Symbol as a noun:

    A summary of a dogmatic statement of faith.

    Examples:

    "The Apostles, Nicene Creed and the confessional books of Protestantism, such as the Augsburg Confession of Lutheranism are considered symbols."

  5. Symbol as a noun:

    Visible traces or impressions, made using a writing device or tool, that are connected together and/or are slightly separated. Sometimes symbols represent objects or events that occupy space or things that are not physical and do not occupy space.

  6. Symbol as a noun (crystallography):

    The numerical expression which defines a plane's position relative to the assumed axes.

  7. Symbol as a noun (obsolete):

    That which is thrown into a common fund; hence, an appointed or accustomed duty.

  8. Symbol as a noun (obsolete):

    Share; allotment.

  9. Symbol as a noun (programming):

    An internal identifier used by a debugger to relate parts of the compiled program to the corresponding names in the source code.

  1. Symbol as a verb:

    To symbolize.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Tennyson"

  1. Token as a noun:

    Something serving as an expression of something else; sign, symbol

    Examples:

    "According to the Bible, the rainbow is a token of God's covenant with Noah."

  2. Token as a noun:

    A keepsake, memento, souvenir

    Examples:

    "Please accept this bustier as a token of our time together."

  3. Token as a noun:

    A piece of stamped metal or plastic, etc., used as a substitute for money; a voucher that can be exchanged for goods or services

    Examples:

    "Subway tokens are being replaced by magnetic cards."

    "A book token is the easiest option for a Christmas gift."

  4. Token as a noun (obsolete, sometimes, figurative):

    Evidence, proof; a confirming detail; physical trace, mark, footprint.

  5. Token as a noun:

    Support for a belief; grounds for an opinion; reason, reasoning

  6. Token as a noun:

    An extraordinary event serving as evidence of supernatural power, a miracle

  7. Token as a noun:

    An object or disclosure to attest or authenticate the bearer or an instruction; a password

  8. Token as a noun:

    A seal guaranteeing the quality of an item.

  9. Token as a noun:

    Something given or shown as a symbol or guarantee of authority or right; a sign of authenticity, of power, good faith.

  10. Token as a noun:

    A tally

  11. Token as a noun (philosophy):

    A particular thing to which a concept applies.

  12. Token as a noun (computing):

    An atomic piece of data, such as a word, for which a meaning may be inferred during parsing. Also called a symbol.

  13. Token as a noun (computing):

    A conceptual object that can be possessed by a computer, process, etc. in order to regulate a turn-taking system such as a token ring network.

  14. Token as a noun (computing):

    A meaningless placeholder used as a substitute for sensitive data.

  15. Token as a noun (grammar):

    A lexeme; a basic, grammatically indivisible unit of a language such as a keyword, operator or identifier.

  16. Token as a noun (corpus linguistics):

    A single example of a certain word in a text or corpus, as opposed to a type.

  17. Token as a noun (medical):

    A characteristic sign of a disease or of a bodily disorder, a symptom; a sign of a bodily condition, recovery, or health.

  18. Token as a noun (medical, obsolete):

    A livid spot upon the body, indicating, or supposed to indicate, the approach of death.

  19. Token as a noun (printing):

    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.

  20. Token as a noun (mining):

    A bit of leather having a peculiar mark designating a particular miner. Each hewer sends one of these with each corf or tub he has hewn.

  21. Token as a noun (mining):

    A thin bed of coal indicating the existence of a thicker seam at no great distance.

  22. Token as a noun (rail transport):

    A physical object used for exchange between drivers and signalmen on single track lines.

  23. Token as a noun (weaving):

    In a loom, a colored signal to show the weaver which shuttle to use.

  24. Token as a noun (Church of Scotland):

    A piece of metal given beforehand to each person in the congregation who is permitted to partake of the Lord's Supper.

  1. Token as an adjective:

    Done as an indication or a pledge; perfunctory, minimal or merely symbolic.

    Examples:

    "He made a token tap on the brake pedal at the stop sign."

  2. Token as an adjective:

    a minor attempt for appearance sake, or to minimally comply with a requirement

    Examples:

    "he was hired as the company's token black person"

    "the television show was primarily directed toward a black audience, but it did have a few token white people as performers"

  1. Token as a verb:

    To betoken, indicate, portend, designate, denote

  2. Token as a verb:

    To betroth

  3. Token as a verb (philosophy):

    To symbolize, instantiate