jot

1 of 2

noun

: the least bit : iota

jot

2 of 2

verb

jotted; jotting

transitive verb

: to write briefly or hurriedly : set down in the form of a note
jot this down

Examples of jot in a Sentence

Noun it's obvious that he doesn't have a jot of interest in history Verb He paused to jot a few notes on a slip of paper.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Beyond black-and-navy, some folks refuse to let brown duet with black, or fret if the shades of their shoes and belt differ a jot. Jamie Waters, wsj.com, 28 Apr. 2023 But that won’t change matters one jot. Washington Post, 15 July 2021 But that has not consoled Mr Trump one jot. The Economist, 9 July 2020 All those centuries of intimacy, of living cheek by jowl, of building a shared culture, mattered not a jot. Aatish Taseer Richard Mosse, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2022 These jot books still exist, and they’re kept in the Benson Ford archives. Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 4 Nov. 2021 Each flash, zoom and jot captures a new angle of the casing’s unique markings. Dallas News, 28 Nov. 2022 The most common error was the urge to include every jot and tittle in the article, despite the fact that the paper and supplementary material run over 3700 words, and the article could only be 500. Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 25 Feb. 2011 Notes have evolved to be as complex and intricate as the subject of the notes or as simple as a jot of a reminder. Patrick Moorhead, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2022
Verb
As an Organization of American States mission prepared to visit in early June 2021 and pressed for the prompt appointment of a new prime minister who could help resolve a debilitating political and constitutional crisis, Moïse jotted down names in his private journal. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2024 Jeff jotted his weight and height onto a newborn exam sheet. 7 pounds. Ellie Silverman, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024 For months, Mayorkas had been waking up at around three o’clock in the morning and, with a pen and pad, jotting down notes in a neat hand: policy ideas, thoughts for a memo, tasks to look into. Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2024 Just push in to eject the stylus for a way to take handwritten notes, jot down a few ideas or sketch out designs or objects. Rudie Obias, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2024 To ensure clarity and effectiveness, jot down your thoughts beforehand, focusing on the facts surrounding the situation. Ebony Flake, Essence, 29 Jan. 2024 Each day of the month has a few lines for jotting down multiple bullet points, and there’s a notes section for anything that would require more writing room. Medea Giordano, WIRED, 3 Jan. 2024 Your family recipes are something to be treasured, so why not give your folks a spot to jot them all down so they can be kept within the family? Claire Rutter, Rolling Stone, 7 Dec. 2023 The two college students pull out a clipboard and jot down vitals—size, location, the nest’s distance from the surf and from the tree line beyond the sand. Nina Burleigh, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin iota, jota iota

First Known Use

Noun

1500, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1721, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jot was in 1500

Dictionary Entries Near jot

Cite this Entry

“Jot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jot. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

jot

1 of 2 noun
: the least bit

jot

2 of 2 verb
jotted; jotting
: to make a brief note of
jot this down

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