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

Suddenly, two of the Pacers three two-way contract slots were accounted for. — Tony East, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

That Beyoncé slot came off the back of a firm but passionate letter Nia wrote to protest the lack of a dance-music category at the UK’s MOBO awards. — Will Pritchard, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026

Verb

That gives them a brand-new second pair that brings complementary skill sets and should allow the rest of the group to slot into more suitable roles. — Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 21 July 2026

There were plenty of women, but they were mostly slotted into supporting roles—managing budgets, spreadsheets, and schedules, making the machine run. — Claire Stapleton, New Yorker, 18 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