Simple definition
A small chunk of text that an AI model processes. A token might be a word, part of a word, punctuation, or a short sequence of characters.
AI GLOSSARY / PROMPTING
What is Token?
A small chunk of text that an AI model processes. A token might be a word, part of a word, punctuation, or a short sequence of characters.
Category: PromptingBeginner-friendlyUpdated September 26, 2026
How it fits into AI
Token is part of the larger AI ecosystem. Its exact role depends on the system, but understanding it helps you make better sense of AI products, technical discussions, safety claims, and practical workflows.
Input or goal
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Token
AI system
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Useful output
A real-world analogy
Tokens are the chunks an AI model reads and writes—often parts of words rather than whole words.
Why it matters
Token counts affect context limits, latency, and usage-based cost. Long documents can consume much more model capacity than their page count suggests.
Frequently asked questions
What does Token mean?
A small chunk of text that an AI model processes. A token might be a word, part of a word, punctuation, or a short sequence of characters.
Why should a small-business user care?
Token counts affect context limits, latency, and usage-based cost. Long documents can consume much more model capacity than their page count suggests.
What is the most important practical nuance?
No. One word can be one token, several tokens, or part of a token depending on the model and language.