jot
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
idioms
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
jotsimple
-
jotssimple
-
have jottedperfect
-
has jottedperfect
-
am jottingprogressive
-
are jottingprogressive
-
is jottingprogressive
-
have been jottingperfect progressive
-
has been jottingperfect progressive
Past
-
jottedsimple
-
had jottedperfect
-
was jottingprogressive
-
were jottingprogressive
-
had been jottingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of jot
1520–30; earlier iot, iote < Latin iōta < Greek iôta iota
Explanation
When you jot something, you write it quickly. You might jot down a friend's email address on the back of your grocery list. It's most common to use the verb jot with down: "Hang on, let me jot down the appointment time." It's a good word to use when you're writing a brief note, a phone number, or a list — especially when you're doing it in a hurry. The earliest meaning of jot is "a tiny bit," which comes from the Latin word jota, an alternate spelling of the Greek iota, the smallest letter in the alphabet or the smallest amount of something.
Vocabulary lists containing jot
The Circuit
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Because of Mr. Terupt
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The Lions of Little Rock
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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.
I’m looking for A.I. to help me jot down and store my thoughts in the right place when I’m not in a position to easily do that.
From Slate • May 24, 2026
And I just jot it down, and sometimes it’s clearly funny as it is.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
"There wasn't a jot of remorse in that man's face," John Ray, an attorney for the victims' families said after the hearing.
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026
Bring a paper copy of your passport with you, know where the embassy is located in the country you’re traveling to and jot down the country’s emergency phone number.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 9, 2026
After making a jot of notation, Rick continued, turning to the eighth question of the Voigt-Kampff profile scale.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
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.
