divot
Americannoun
-
Golf. a piece of turf gouged out with a club in making a stroke.
-
Scot. a piece of turf.
noun
Etymology
Origin of divot
1530–40; originally Scots, earlier deva ( i ) t, diffat, duvat, of obscure origin
Explanation
A divot is a little chunk of grass or turf that gets dug out of the ground. Playing golf creates many divots. Have you ever seen a lawn that is perfectly maintained and smooth? That's a piece of ground without any divots. A divot is a little piece of the earth that flies up when something sharp hits it, like an animal's sharp hooves. The chunk of earth is a divot, and the cavity left behind is also called a divot. The cleats of football players and the powerful swings of golf players both result in divots.
Vocabulary lists containing divot
The Book of Unknown Americans
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Early Departures
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Goodbye Stranger
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He finished on 11 under par, having edged in front after then-leader South Africa's Shaun Norris was given a bizarre two-shot penalty for kicking away a loose divot on the fairway.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
He makes half-pound patties and seasons them well; into each he presses a divot about a ½ inch deep.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025
The rifle’s extendable stock’s point—that is, the end of the butt nestled “high and tight” into the divot, or pocket, of the shoulder—provided a sturdy point of pressure.
From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2024
The female slowly rose inside the crate then bounded up a snowy divot in the dirt road.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 18, 2023
There’s a divot in it, a crater where everyone dumped acorns, leaves, grass, those poison red berries if there were any.
From "Goodbye Stranger" by Rebecca Stead
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
