noun

NFT

en-ef-TEE

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NFT (noun) means a unique digital record on a blockchain showing who owns a particular item, most often a picture, video, collectible or piece of music. The record is the NFT; the artwork itself is normally stored elsewhere. Example: “She bought an NFT of a cartoon penguin and the transfer showed up in her wallet within minutes.”

noun

A unique digital record on a blockchain showing who owns a particular item, most often a picture, video, collectible or piece of music. The record is the NFT; the artwork itself is normally stored elsewhere.

"She bought an NFT of a cartoon penguin and the transfer showed up in her wallet within minutes."

"The gallery issued an NFT for each print so buyers could prove which one they had."

informal, imprecise Loosely, the artwork or collectible that such a token points to.

"He set his profile picture to his NFT."

How to use NFT

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA one-of-a-kind entry on a shared digital record saying who owns a particular item.

When to use it

Written in capitals. The plural is NFTs. Often used loosely to mean the picture rather than the ownership record.

Memory tip

"Non-fungible" simply means not interchangeable: one ten-pound note is as good as any other, but one numbered NFT is not the same as another.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

token → cryptocurrency → copyright → digital collectible

Common pairings

mint an NFT NFT collection NFT marketplace buy an NFT NFT drop

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She bought an _____ of a cartoon penguin and the transfer showed up in her wallet within minutes.

Etymology

An initialism of non-fungible token, where fungible means interchangeable with another of the same kind.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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non-fungible token token digital collectible on-chain certificate

Antonyms

fungible token

Related words

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an NFT and a cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency units are interchangeable: one bitcoin is worth exactly the same as any other bitcoin. NFTs are not interchangeable, because each one is a distinct record pointing at a specific item, so two NFTs in the same collection are separate things.

If I buy an NFT, do I own the artwork?

Buying an NFT transfers the token, the on-chain record of ownership. Whether it also transfers copyright or any rights over the image depends entirely on the terms the seller set out; in many cases the image file itself sits on an ordinary web server or file network rather than on the blockchain.

What does minting an NFT mean?

Minting is the act of creating the token, that is, writing the new record onto the blockchain for the first time. Until an item is minted, there is no NFT, only a file.

What is the meaning of NFT?

"NFT" (noun) means a unique digital record on a blockchain showing who owns a particular item, most often a picture, video, collectible or piece of music. The record is the NFT; the artwork itself is normally stored elsewhere.

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