Token
Definition The small unit of text a language model actually reads and writes—a word, part of a word, or punctuation mark. Models measure input size, output length, pricing, and usage limits in tokens.
In more depth
Before processing, text is split into tokens using a fixed vocabulary; common words may be a single token while rare or technical terms are broken into several. The model then predicts its output one token at a time. Token counts matter practically because they determine how much material fits in a model's context window and how API usage is billed—long documents such as contracts or deposition transcripts consume many thousands of tokens.
Related terms
Educational information, not legal advice. AI terminology and tools change quickly; definitions reflect usage as of the last-updated date. For what bar associations and courts actually require of lawyers using AI, see legalaicompliance.help and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.