Jump To:

• tot
  tot

  noun

  a small child.
• tot.
  tot.

  abbreviation

  total.

tot

¹ American  

[tot] / tɒt /

noun

1. a small child.

2. Chiefly British. a small portion of a beverage, especially a dram of liquor.

3. a small quantity of anything.

---

tot ² American  

[tot] / tɒt /

verb (used with or without object)

tots, present (3rd person singular) totted, past participle, past totting present participle

1. to add; total (often followed byup ).

---

noun

1. a total.

2. the act of adding.

3. British Informal. a column of numbers to be added.

tot. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. total.

---

tot ¹ British  

/ tɒt /

noun

1. a young child; toddler

2. a small amount of anything

3. a small measure of spirits

---

tot ² British  

/ tɒt /

verb

1. (usually foll by up) to total; add

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• untotted
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has totted
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have totted
  perfect
• are totting
  progressive
• has been totting
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• am totting
  progressive 1st person singular
• is totting
  progressive 3rd person singular
• tots
  singular 3rd person
• have been totting
  perfect progressive
• totting
  participle

Past

• had totted
  perfect
• were totting
  progressive plural
• had been totting
  perfect progressive
• was totting
  progressive singular
• totted
  participle
• totted
  simple

Future

• will tot
  simple
• will have totted
  perfect
• will be totting
  progressive
• will have been totting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of tot¹

1680–90; perhaps short for totterer ( def. )

Origin of tot²

1745–55; < Latin: so much, so many

Explanation

A tot is a small child, like the tots at your little sister's nursery school. Tater tots, or little bitty potato puffs, are another kind of tot. The origin of the noun tot is a little unclear, although we know it first appeared in the 18th century. It was also common in the early 20th century to refer to children's playgrounds as tot lots. As a verb, tot is an old-fashioned way to say "add," a shortened form of total. So your waiter might say, "I'll be right back with your check as soon as I tot everything up!"

Example Sentences

The spending that was originally anticipated for the fourth quarter is pushed forward tot the first quarter of 2026.

From Barron's • Nov. 11, 2025

He’ll apparently risk dozens of full-grown proteges for one unproven tot.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2025

When you tot up the balance of alleged irreparable harms here, it isn’t even a close call.

From Slate • Mar. 19, 2024

The figure rose 9.5% during the holiday period in 2022, according tot he NRF.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 4, 2023

Maybe the pink-faced kid was thirteen or fourteen, and the tot maybe three or four.

From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata