plot

American  

[plot] / plɒt /

noun

1. a secret plan or scheme to accomplish some purpose, especially a hostile, unlawful, or evil purpose.

   a plot to overthrow the government.

   Synonyms:

   cabal, intrigue

2. Also called storyline.  the plan, scheme, or main story of a literary or dramatic work, as a play, novel, or short story.

3. a small piece or area of ground.

   a garden plot;

   burial plot.

4. a measured piece or parcel of land.

   a house on a two-acre plot.

5. a plan, map, diagram, or other graphic representation, as of land, a building, etc.

6. a list, timetable, or scheme dealing with any of the various arrangements for the production of a play, motion picture, etc..

   According to the property plot, there should be a lamp stage left.

7. a chart showing the course of a craft, as a ship or airplane.

8. Artillery. a point or points located on a map or chart.

   target plot.

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verb (used with object)

plots, present (3rd person singular) plotted, past participle, past plotting present participle

1. to plan secretly, especially something hostile or evil.

   to plot mutiny.

   Synonyms:

   frame, hatch, brew

2. to mark on a plan, map, or chart, as the course of a ship or aircraft.

3. to draw a plan or map of, as a tract of land or a building.

4. to divide (land) into plots.

5. to determine and mark (points), as on plotting paper, by means of measurements or coordinates.

6. to draw (a curve) by means of points so marked.

7. to represent by means of such a curve.

8. to devise or construct the plot of (a play, novel, etc.).

9. to prepare a list, timetable, or scheme of (production arrangements), as for a play or motion picture.

   The stage manager hadn't plotted the set changes until one day before the dress rehearsal.

10. to make (a calculation) by graph.

verb (used without object)

plots, present (3rd person singular) plotted, past participle, past plotting present participle

1. to plan or scheme secretly; form a plot; conspire.

2. to devise or develop a literary or dramatic plot.

3. to be marked or located by means of measurements or coordinates, as on plotting paper.

plot ¹ British  

/ plɒt /

noun

1. a secret plan to achieve some purpose, esp one that is illegal or underhand

   a plot to overthrow the government

2. the story or plan of a play, novel, etc

3. military a graphic representation of an individual or tactical setting that pinpoints an artillery target

4. a diagram or plan, esp a surveyor's map

5. informal to lose one's ability or judgment in a given situation

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verb

1. to plan secretly (something illegal, revolutionary, etc); conspire

2. (tr) to mark (a course, as of a ship or aircraft) on a map

3. (tr) to make a plan or map of

4. 1. to locate and mark (one or more points) on a graph by means of coordinates

   2. to draw (a curve) through these points

5. (tr) to construct the plot of (a literary work)

plot ² British  

/ plɒt /

noun

1. a small piece of land

   a vegetable plot

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verb

1. (tr) to arrange or divide (land) into plots

plot Cultural  

1. The organization of events in a work of fiction.

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Synonym Usage

See conspiracy. Plot, conspire, scheme imply secret, cunning, and often unscrupulous planning to gain one's own ends. To plot is to contrive a secret plan of a selfish and often treasonable kind: to plot against someone's life. To conspire is to unite with others in an illicit or illegal machination: to conspire to seize a government. To scheme is to plan ingeniously, subtly, and often craftily for one's own advantage: to scheme how to gain power.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• plotless
  adjective
• unplotted
  adjective
• unplotting
  adjective
• preplot
  verb (used with object)
• outplot
  verb (used with object)
• plotlessness
  noun
• replot
  verb (used with object)
• plotful
  adjective
• overplot
  verb
• well-plotted
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has plotted
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have plotted
  perfect
• has been plotting
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• are plotting
  progressive
• am plotting
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been plotting
  perfect progressive
• is plotting
  progressive 3rd person singular
• plots
  singular 3rd person
• plotting
  participle

Past

• had plotted
  perfect
• plotted
  participle
• were plotting
  progressive plural
• plotted
  simple
• was plotting
  progressive singular
• had been plotting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will plot
  simple
• will have plotted
  perfect
• will have been plotting
  perfect progressive
• will be plotting
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of plot

First recorded before 1100; the noun has multiple origins: in the sense “piece of ground,” Middle English: “small area, patch, stain, piece of ground,” Old English: “piece of ground” (origin obscure); in the senses “ground plan, outline, map, scheme,” variant (since the 16th century) of plat ¹, itself partly a variant of Middle English, Old English plot; in the sense “secret plan” (from the 16th century), by association with complot; the verb is derivative of the noun

Explanation

A plot is a scheme, a story, a map charting progress, or a piece of land (as for a garden). To plot is to devise a secret plan, order the events of the story, or track your movement on the map. You could make a whole movie based on the word plot. This could be the plot (story): An evil so-and-so hatches a secret plot (scheme) to follow the explorer to a legendary plot (patch) of land with buried treasure. The explorer plots (draws) the best route to the treasure, but the evil so-and-so steals the plot (map) and gets to the treasure first. What a great story. All that's left is to plot (arrange) the sequence of events for maximum suspense.

Example Sentences

This might include not providing his own economic forecast, such as not contributing to the dot plot.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska backed Gonzalez on Friday, telling journalists in Madrid that she "had no contact with Leire during which there was any conversation, any link to the plot".

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

Many shows feature wild, fast-moving plot lines, about topics ranging from secret billionaire husbands to forbidden romances, that are designed to keep viewers glued to their screens.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

“Trainspotting” doesn’t require a plot; like its source novel by Irvine Welsh, it’s a series of deeply observed vignettes or sketches.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

By the time Elizebeth and William first saw the letters, British and American officials already knew the broad outline of the plot, and many Indians who had worked with the Germans had been arrested.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

Related Words

• action
• design
• movement
• narrative
• scenario
• scene
• scheme
• story
• structure
• theme