slot
/slɑt/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.09 in modern English
4
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A narrow depression, perforation, or aperture; especially, one for the reception of a piece fitting or sliding into it.
noun
A period of time or position within a schedule or sequence.
noun
The track of an animal, especially a deer; spoor.
Example Sentences
- "insert tab A into slot B"
- "I've booked your haircut for the 2 p.m. slot."
- "With a strong finish he ended up in the third-ranked slot overall."
- "I walked past the poker tables and went straight to the slots."
- "The Huntsman by his slot, or breaking earth, perceaves"
- "Oh joy! the signs of life! the Deer Hath left his slot beside the way; The little Ermine now is seen White wanderer of the snow; […] And hark! the rosy-breasted bird, The Throstle of sweet song!"
Etymology
From Middle English slot, from Old French esclot, likely from Old Norse slóð (“track”). As a gambling machine, via clipping of slot machine. Compare sleuth. The scheduling (calendar) sense is by a metaphor whereby the time span is equated with the segment of a page or part of a device that represents it.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: slot, esclot, slóð, *slot, *slutą, sluten
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /slɑt/
- British English: /slɒt/
Usage
- Informal
- Slang
- British usage
- Obsolete
- Transitive verb