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.
Crypto Confidential: Forbes' definitive guide to crypto and blockchain, delivered to your inbox every Saturday. Jemma Green, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025 That caution was understandable, said Ric Edelman, who founded Edelman Financial Engines and then created the Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals, which provides certification courses in blockchain and digital assets for financial professionals and investors. Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 7 June 2025 The tokens are designed to bring the stability of traditional currencies to blockchain networks, whose speed and efficiency in transferring money has become attractive to global financial institutions. Tanaya MacHeel, CNBC, 4 June 2025 The crypto and blockchain sectors require tech-savvy developers, compliance officers, clean energy producers, lawyers, financial analysts, and marketing professionals. Jeremy Cooney, New York Daily News, 30 May 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Blockchain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blockchain. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.

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