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ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

ticket.

A small document that acts as proof of something, often thereby granting the holder some ability.

6 characters2 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

noun/ˈtɪk.ɪt/General-American, Received-Pronunciation/ˈtɪk.ət/
  1. A small document that acts as proof of something, often thereby granting the holder some ability. A pass entitling the holder to admission to a show, concert, sporting event, etc.

    I've got two tickets for the match on Saturday; want to come?
  2. A small document that acts as proof of something, often thereby granting the holder some ability. A pass entitling the holder to board a train, a bus, a plane, or other means of transportation.

    train ticket   bus ticket   plane ticket
    You must show your ticket to the conductor.
  3. A small document that acts as proof of something, often thereby granting the holder some ability. A permit to operate a machine on a construction site.

  4. A small document that acts as proof of something, often thereby granting the holder some ability. A certificate or token of a share in a lottery or other scheme for distributing money, goods, etc.

    lottery ticket   raffle ticket
    If I'd used my usual numbers, it would've been a winning ticket! Unlucky!
  5. A small document that acts as proof of something, often thereby granting the holder some ability. A certificate of qualification as a ship's master, pilot, or other crew member.

  6. A small document that acts as proof of something, often thereby granting the holder some ability. A solution to a problem; something that is needed in order to do something.

    figuratively
    That's the ticket.
    I saw my first bike as my ticket to freedom.
  7. A citation for a traffic violation.

  8. A service request, used to track complaints or requests that an issue be handled.

  9. A list of candidates for an election, or a particular theme to a candidate's manifesto.

    informal
    Joe has joined the party's ticket for the county elections.
    Joe will be running on an anti-crime ticket.
  10. A small note or notice.

    dated
  11. A tradesman's bill or account (hence the phrase on ticket and eventually on tick).

    dated
  12. A label affixed to goods to show their price or description.

  13. A visiting card.

    dated
  14. A warrant.

    slang
Where this word comes from

Borrowed from Middle Scots tikkat, tikket, from Middle French etiquet m, estiquet m, and etiquette f, estiquette f (“a bill, note, label, ticket”), from Old French estechier, estichier, estequier (“to attach, stick”), (compare Picard estiquier (“to stick, pierce”)), from Frankish *stikkjan, *stekan (“to stick, pierce, sting”), from Proto-Germanic *stikaną, *stikōną, *staikijaną (“to be sharp, pierce, prick”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to be sharp, to stab”). Doublet of etiquette. More at stick.

verb/ˈtɪk.ɪt/General-American, Received-Pronunciation/ˈtɪk.ət/
  1. To issue someone a ticket, as for travel or for a violation of a local or traffic law.

  2. To mark with a ticket.

    to ticket goods in a retail store
Where this word comes from

Borrowed from Middle Scots tikkat, tikket, from Middle French etiquet m, estiquet m, and etiquette f, estiquette f (“a bill, note, label, ticket”), from Old French estechier, estichier, estequier (“to attach, stick”), (compare Picard estiquier (“to stick, pierce”)), from Frankish *stikkjan, *stekan (“to stick, pierce, sting”), from Proto-Germanic *stikaną, *stikōną, *staikijaną (“to be sharp, pierce, prick”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to be sharp, to stab”). Doublet of etiquette. More at stick.

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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.