blockchain

noun

block·​chain ˈbläk-ˌchān How to pronounce blockchain (audio)
: a digital database containing information (such as records of financial transactions) that can be simultaneously used and shared within a large decentralized, publicly accessible network
also : the technology used to create such a database
The technology at the heart of bitcoin and other virtual currencies, blockchain is an open, distributed ledger that can record transactions between two parties efficiently and in a verifiable and permanent way. —Marco Iansiti and Karim R. Lakhani

Examples of blockchain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
MyStarChain will present its blockchain voting platform MyStarPick, and HiStranger will introduce Insight Flow, a tool that reads biosignals to gauge audience emotional response. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 From the outset, the group has been asking for donations to its meme coin on the Solana blockchain, prompting some critics to dub the whole operation a scam. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026 Uruguay, in partnership with Blerify, is piloting a decentralized trust registry using Avalanche and LNet blockchains. — Aaron Stanley, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Polymarket's international platform settles trades on a blockchain, meaning wagers are public, although traders remain anonymous. — Douglas Gillison, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for blockchain

Word History

First Known Use

2011, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blockchain was in 2011

Rhymes for blockchain

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Browse Nearby Words

block-caving
blockchain
block chords
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Blockchain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blockchain. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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