Etymology: < Anglo-Norman bastone, bastoun, bastun, bastune, Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French baston (French bâton baton n.) staff, stout stick (c1100; from the earliest texts also frequently as a symbol of office or authority), (in heraldry) bend (13th cent.), in Anglo-Norman also a warden of the Fleet prison who carried a red staff as a symbol of office (14th cent. or earlier) < post-classical Latin baston- , basto stick (11th cent.; frequently from c1200 in British sources) < post-classical Latin bastum (4th cent.), of uncertain origin (perhaps < an unattested form *bastare to carry: see bastant adj.) + classical Latin -ō (see -oon suffix). This word was largely superseded by baton n. Compare also batoon n. and (in specialized technical senses) batten n.¹Compare Old Occitan baston , Catalan bastó , Spanish bastón (both 11th cent.), Portuguese bastão (13th cent.), Italian bastone (a1306). Specific forms. With forms in -oon compare batoon n. The (very rare) forms bastion and bastioun are perhaps by association with bastion n. or related words. Specific senses. With sense 1, which appears to lack a parallel in insular or continental French, perhaps compare staff n.¹ 18. In sense 5 after Spanish bastos, plural (a1569 in this sense) or its probable model Italian bastoni, plural (1442 in this sense). With sense 6 compare French bâton (1710 in this sense).

Etymology: < baston n. Compare slightly earlier bastinade v., bastonate v., baton v.Compare Anglo-Norman bastuner, Old French, Middle French, French †bastonner (now bâtonner) to harass, vex (a person) (late 12th cent. in Anglo-Norman), to beat (a person) with a stick (early 13th cent.).