bot

¹

[bot]

noun

1. Digital Technology.,  a software program that can execute commands, reply to messages, or perform routine tasks, as online searches, either automatically or with minimal human intervention (often used in combination): a customer service chatbot to answer product questions.

   a social media bot retweeting certain posts;

   a customer service chatbot to answer product questions.

2. Informal.,  a robot.

bot

²

Or bott

[bot]

noun

1. the larva of a botfly.

bot

³

[bot]

noun

Australian Slang.

1. a person who cadges; scrounger.

bot.

⁴

abbreviation

1. botanical.

2. botanist.

3. botany.

4. bottle.

B.O.T.

⁵

abbreviation

1. Board of Trade.

bot

¹

/ bɒt /

noun

1. the larva of a botfly, which typically develops inside the body of a horse, sheep, or man

2. any similar larva

3. informal,  a mild illness in humans

bot

²

/ bɒt /

verb

1. to scrounge or borrow

2. to scrounge (from); impose (on)

noun

1. a scrounger

2. wanting to scrounge

   he's on the bot for a cigarette

bot

³

/ bɒt /

noun

1. computing an autonomous computer program that performs time-consuming tasks, esp on the internet

bot.

⁴

abbreviation

1. botanical

2. botany

BOT

⁵

abbreviation

1. Board of Trade

bot

1. A software program that imitates the behavior of a human, as by querying search engines or participating in chatroom discussions.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bot¹

First recorded in 1985–90; bot ¹ def. 2 first recorded in 1965–70; shortening of robot

Origin of bot²

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English; akin to Dutch bot, Frisian dialect botten (plural); further origin unknown

Origin of bot³

First recorded in 1915–20; perhaps shortening of botfly

Word History and Origins

Origin of bot¹

C15: probably from Low German; related to Dutch bot , of obscure origin

Origin of bot²

C20: perhaps from _botfly , alluding to the creature's bite; see _bite (sense 12)

Origin of bot³

C20: from ( _ro ) _bot

Example Sentences

B.O.T.'s catalogue now gives an XX rating for tapes of Ana�s Nin's Delta of Venus and The Hite Report.

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B.O.T. pays authors or their estates 10% of its rental fee and calls its service, not immodestly, "the thinking man's CB."

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