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 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

But remove a soft cover, and the metal beneath reveals a series of slots that allow a wide variety of attachments to be fitted into place. — ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026

Portland plans to be aggressive with their Under-22 slots to build out a stronger and deeper roster for Cifuentes. — Tom Bogert, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Verb

Iowa was the lone FBS school to offer Pieper, slotted as a recruit below seven of the eight from Nebraska who signed with the Huskers weeks after Rhule was hired. — Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Beckham has outside and slot receiver flex that would help his case when competing for a roster spot on some teams but might not be as big of a plus here trying out for New York. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 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
• time slot

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