slot

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈslät 

1

a

: a narrow opening or groove : slit, notch

a mail slot in a door

b

: a narrow passage or enclosure

c

: a passage through the wing of an airplane or of a missile that is located usually near the leading edge and formed between a main and an auxiliary airfoil for improving flow conditions over the wing so as to increase lift and delay stalling of the wing

d

: the area on a hockey rink in front of the crease and between the face-off circles

2

: a place or position in an organization, arrangement, or sequence : niche, spot

3

: slot machine sense 2

—usually used in plural

4

: a gap between an end and a tackle in an offensive football line

slot

2 of 3

verb

slotted; slotting

transitive verb

1

: to cut a slot in

2

: to place in or assign to a slot

intransitive verb

: to fit easily

her ideas slot neatly into the theory

slot

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural slot

: the track of an animal (such as a deer)

Synonyms of slot

Noun (1)

• place
• niche
• groove
• job

Examples of slot in a Sentence

Noun (1)

called an old friend to see if he could find a slot for his college-age son in the construction business that summer

Verb

He slotted the piece of wood into the groove.

Her ideas slot neatly into the theory.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Despite several changes to its time slot, the sitcom was among the top 10 programs in the Nielsen ratings for its first four seasons, before a decline in ratings in its last two seasons. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2026

The Panthers now have a slot open on their 91-man training camp roster. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026

Verb

Summit defender Janine Sonis stepped up and slotted the penalty home to restore the lead right before halftime. — Spencer Baldwin, Denver Post, 13 July 2026

Norway's keeper saved a long-range strike, but the ball ricocheted off him, and Bellingham rushed forward and slotted it into the net, his sixth goal of the tournament. — Russell Lewis, NPR, 11 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, the hollow at the base of the throat above the breastbone, from Anglo-French esclot hoofprint, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle High German slag blow, hoofprint; probably from its resemblance to a hoofprint — more at schlock

Noun (2)

Middle French esclot track

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1747, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1575, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing slot

• expansion slot
• slot car
• slot in
• slot machine
• slot racing

Rhymes for slot

• aught
• baht
• blot
• bott
• bought
• brought
• caught
• clot
• cot
• cott
• dot
• fought

Kids Definition

slot

1 of 2 noun

ˈslät 

: a long narrow opening, groove, or passage : slit, notch

slot

2 of 2 verb

slotted; slotting

: to cut a slot in