mot
noun
a pithy or witty remark; bon mot.
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mot
American
[moh]
/ moʊ /
MOT
1
British
abbreviation
-
(in New Zealand and formerly in Britain) Ministry of Transport (in Britain now part of the DTLR) See DTLR
-
(in Britain) MOT test: a compulsory annual test for all road vehicles over a certain age, which require a valid MOT certificate
mot
2
British
/ məʊ /
noun
mot
3
British
/ mɒt /
noun
Usage
What does mot mean? A mot is a clever comment or witty saying. Mot is a short way of saying bon mot, which means the same thing (and is more commonly used). Mot is also used in the phrase mot juste, meaning the exact right word. Witty statements, sayings like "history always repeats itself," wordplay, and famous last words are all examples of mots. Example: Shakespeare's plays are known for their memorable mots like "To thine own self be true."
Etymology
Origin of mot
1625–35; < French < Late Latin muttum utterance. See motto
Explanation
When you impress your friends with a witty observation or a funny quip, you use a mot. Your favorite teacher might be well known for her clever mots. If someone uses the perfect word or puts things in a particularly amusing way, they're skilled with a mot — short for a bon mot, or a "good saying" or "good word" in French. Mot is used in French to mean a "remark" or "short speech," and it comes from the Latin root mutum, "mutter" or "grunt."
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:
As France faces a possible borrowing crisis and U.S. stocks shrug off a quarter-century high in bond yields, a Frenchman’s bon mot helps explain why: exorbitant privilege.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
The character never has to search long for a bon mot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2023
Citizens' Van Saun said the bank is also tightening its appetite for new mortgage credit, but that move is mot as dramatic as that for auto loans.
From Reuters ● Jan. 30, 2023
Then, of course, there’s the song’s instantly memed, irresistibly quotable bon mot, “Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby, and I’m a monster on the hill.”
From New York Times ● Oct. 24, 2022
He jotted down this bon mot with his pencil nub.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
Angry scenes have erupted outside a court after the family of a woman killed in a triple fatal car crash confronted a garage owner who falsified an MOT just weeks before.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
"We all want the same goal here. We all want to be able to MOT a car as soon as possible in a convenient location," he said.
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
Peter Carmichael from NI Driving School said it's frustrating to have an MOT centre "just a couple of miles away" yet sometimes people have to travel a lot further to get a test.
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
Others affected by the fire include mechanic and MOT tester David Mills, who lost his entire collection of tools.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026
“My Datsun”—Mum offered some braised celery to Aunt Alice, who made a No thanks gesture—“passed its MOT with flying colors last week.”
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
