noun
-
the ninth letter in the Greek alphabet (Ι, ι), a vowel or semivowel, transliterated as i or j
-
(usually used with a negative) a very small amount; jot (esp in the phrase not one or an iota )
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of iota
1600–10; < Latin iōta < Greek iôta < Semitic; compare Hebrew yōdh yod
Explanation
If you don't care one iota about something, it means you don’t care about it even one little bit. An iota is something very small. An iota is the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet. The expression "not one iota" comes from the Bible (Matthew 5:18): "For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished."
Vocabulary lists containing iota
To Kill a Mockingbird
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!
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 20–25
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!
Words You Need to See in the Wild
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.
See Examples For:
Really, we’re just watching McKellen give a bravura, scene-gobbling performance that doesn’t hold back one iota.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026
But even those betray an iota of human-made whimsy, a sparkle of vulnerability.
From Slate ● Jan. 7, 2026
Perhaps most painful among the nurses’ many miseries is their isolation: the secrets they keep in hopes of sparing their loved ones an iota of extra suffering.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2025
"It doesn't help the UK's advanced manufacturing sector one iota, because we don't see any of those funds," he said.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2025
With one sweep of an arm, Robbie snatched up Gloria, slackening his speed not one iota, and, consequently, knocking every breath of air out of her.
From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov
Here & there, they admit, among Vogt's errors, prejudices, mysticism and reckless appeals to emotion, they can find iotas of truth-but not many.
From Time Magazine Archive
At random moments when Kopit tosses his thinking cap away for vaudeville, the play generates iotas of fun.
From Time Magazine Archive
"We are just one iota among countless iotas in the universe," Drake insists.
From Time Magazine Archive
Mr. Tompsett-King deprecated all dottings of iotas; when Philippa stormed at society he hummed a sad little tune.
From Rest Harrow A Comedy of Resolution by Maurice Henry Hewlett
Thus it is that in the Word Divine things and arcana of heaven are contained even in its iotas, points and tittles.
From Heaven and its Wonders and Hell by John Ager
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.
