slot

¹ American  

[slot] / slɒt /

noun

1. a narrow, elongated depression, groove, notch, slit, or aperture, especially a narrow opening for receiving or admitting something, as a coin or a letter.

2. a place or position, as in a sequence or series.

   The program received a new time slot on the broadcasting schedule.

3. Linguistics. (especially in tagmemics) a position having a specific grammatical function within a construction into which any one of a set of morphemes or morpheme sequences can be fit.

4. an assignment or job opening; position.

   I applied for the slot in management training.

5. Journalism.

   1. the interior opening in a copy desk, occupied by the chief copy editor.

   2. the job or position of chief copy editor.

      He had the slot at the Gazette for 20 years.

6. an allocated, scheduled time and place for an aircraft to take off or land, as authorized by an airport or air-traffic authority.

   40 more slots for the new airline at U.S. airports.

7. Informal. slot machine.

8. Aeronautics. slat12

9. Ornithology. a narrow notch or other similar opening between the tips of the primaries of certain birds, which during flight helps to maintain a smooth flow of air over the wings.

10. Ice Hockey. an unmarked area near the front of an opponent's goal that affords a vantage for an attacking player.

11. Computers. expansion slot.

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verb (used with object)

slots, present (3rd person singular) slotted, past participle, past slotting present participle

1. to provide with a slot or slots; make a slot in.

2. to place or fit into a slot.

   We've slotted his appointment for four o'clock.

verb (used without object)

slots, present (3rd person singular) slotted, past participle, past slotting present participle

1. to fit or be placed in a slot.

slot ² American  

[slot] / slɒt /

noun

1. the track or trail of a deer or other animal, as shown by the marks of the feet.

2. a track, trace, or trail of something.

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slot ¹ British  

/ slɒt /

noun

1. an elongated aperture or groove, such as one in a vending machine for inserting a coin

2. an air passage in an aerofoil to direct air from the lower to the upper surface, esp the gap formed behind a slat

3. a vertical opening between the leech of a foresail and a mast or the luff of another sail through which air spills from one against the other to impart forward motion

4. informal a place in a series or scheme

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verb

1. (tr) to furnish with a slot or slots

2. to fit or adjust in a slot

3. informal to situate or be situated in a series or scheme

slot ² British  

/ slɒt /

noun

1. the trail of an animal, esp a deer

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• slotter
  noun
• unslotted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• slotting
  present
• slotted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• slot
  simple
• slots
  simple
• have slotted
  perfect
• has slotted
  perfect
• am slotting
  progressive
• are slotting
  progressive
• is slotting
  progressive
• have been slotting
  perfect progressive
• has been slotting
  perfect progressive

Past

• slotted
  simple
• had slotted
  perfect
• was slotting
  progressive
• were slotting
  progressive
• had been slotting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will slot
  simple
• will have slotted
  perfect
• will be slotting
  progressive
• will have been slotting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of slot¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English: “hollow at the base of the throat above the breastbone,” from Old French esclot; further origin unclear

Origin of slot²

First recorded in 1565–75; from Anglo-French, Old French esclot “the hoofprint of a horse,” probably from Old Norse slōth “track, trail”; see also sleuthhound

Explanation

A thin opening or groove in something is a slot. You can put letters and postcards through the mail slot at the post office. A gum ball machine has a slot for inserting a coin, and some front doors have a special slot for mail carriers to put mail in. A screwdriver fits neatly into the slot on top of a screw. Another kind of slot is a space in a schedule or calendar: "I have a half-hour slot on Thursday for our meeting." In the 14th century, a slot was "the hollow above the breastbone."

Example Sentences

As the show’s host, Queen Latifah dispensed uplifting thoughts about American idealism throughout the evening but also got a slot of her own to do her classic “U.N.I.T.Y.” with help from a rambunctious drum line.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 5, 2026

JPMorgan moved up the league tables to the top slot in foreign exchange, and it has stayed high in the rankings ever since.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026

I wouldn’t necessarily slot former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan into any of those categories, but the general reaction to his death Monday at age 100 puts the lie to Cross’ observation.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2026

This feels unfair not only to Curacao and Ivory Coast but also to the teams hoping to take a third-place slot.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026

Then, in a thin slot in the quiet, she leans and gently touches my head.

From "Beast Rider" by Tony Johnston & María Elena Fontanot de Rhoads

Related Words

• channel
• groove
• hole
• niche
• position
• space
• vacancy