slot machine

noun

1
: a machine whose operation is begun by dropping a coin into a slot
2
: an originally coin-operated gambling machine that pays off according to the matching of symbols on wheels spun by a handle
also : an electronic version of this machine

Examples of slot machine 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.
Johnson also said there will be a bar and slot machines for of-age customers. Angelika Ytuarte, jsonline.com, 2 Oct. 2025 In the United Kingdom, there's a new 5 pound limit (about $7) on every spin on a slot machine, and gambling companies are now subject to a 1 percent levy that goes into a fund for treatment and prevention of gambling disorders. Karen Brown, NPR, 30 Sep. 2025 According to News 4, one bullet struck a door and another hit a slot machine. Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025 Generative models have been more like slot machines – powerful but not intelligent. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slot machine

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of slot machine was in 1891

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slot machine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slot%20machine. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

slot machine

noun
1
: a machine whose operation is begun when a coin is dropped into a slot
2
: a coin-operated gambling machine that pays off for the matching of symbols on wheels spun by a handle

More from Merriam-Webster on slot machine

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