What does "jot" mean?
The smallest letter or stroke of any writing; an iota.
Jot
/d͡ʒɒt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The smallest letter or stroke of any writing; an iota.
- Grammar: jot is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: speck, ace, atom, birthmark.
- Useful contrasts: abundance, erase, forget.
- Usage evidence: Pinocchio's only fault was that he had too many friends. Among these were many well-known rascals, who cared not a jot for study or for success.
How to use "jot"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "jot" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "jot" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "jot" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "jot" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "jot" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "speck" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "jot", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The smallest letter or stroke of any writing; an iota.
"This bond doth giue thee here no iote of blood, / The vvords expreſly are a pound of fleſh: / Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of fleſh, / But in the cutting of it, if thou doſt ſhed / One drop of Chriſtian blood, thy lands and goods / Are by the lavves of Venice, confiſcate / Vnto the State of Venice."
- 2 A jerk, a jolt. obsolete, rare
"[F]requent jot / Of his hard ſetting jade did ſo confound / The vvords that he by papyr-ſtealth had got, / That their loſt ſenſe the youngſter could not ſound, / Though he vvith mimical attention did abound."
- 3 a brief (and hurriedly handwritten) note wordnet
- 4 A small, or the smallest, amount of a thing; a bit, a whit. broadly
"He didn’t care a jot for his work."
- 5 a slight but appreciable amount wordnet
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A small, or the smallest, amount of a thing; a bit, a whit.; An instant, a moment. broadly, obsolete
"So vveake my povvres, ſo ſore my vvounds appeare, / that vvonder is hovv I ſhould liue a iot, / ſeeing my hart through launched euery vvhere / vvith thouſand arrovves, vvhich your eies haue ſhot: […]"
- 7 A brief and hurriedly written note.
""Lover," you say; "how beautiful that is, / That little word!” […] / Yes, it is beautiful. I have marked it long, / Long in my dusty head its jot secreted, / Yet my heart never knew this word a song / Till in the night softly by you repeated."
Verb
- 1 Chiefly followed by down: to write (something) quickly; to make a brief note of (something). transitive
"Tell me your order so I can jot it down."
- 2 To jerk or jolt (something); to jog. dialectal, transitive
"Nowe is iuſte iuſtice, ſo iotted out of iointe, / That ye here vniuſtely, ſtande at deniall, / To do me iuſtice, and wolde by power ryall: / Directe mine acquitall or condemnacion, / Euen as wyll in both: weith your acceptacion."
- 3 write briefly or hurriedly; write a short note of wordnet
Example
"Pinocchio's only fault was that he had too many friends. Among these were many well-known rascals, who cared not a jot for study or for success."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "jot"?
Common synonyms include: speck, ace, atom, birthmark, bit, bit.
How do you use "jot" in a sentence?
Pinocchio's only fault was that he had too many friends. Among these were many well-known rascals, who cared not a jot for study or for success.
How do you pronounce "jot"?
Pronounced /d͡ʒɒt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
The noun is borrowed from Latin iōta (“the letter iota of the Ancient Greek alphabet”), from Ancient Greek ἰῶτα (iôta, “ninth letter of the Ancient Greek alphabet; (figurative) very small part of writing, jot”), from Phoenician 𐤉 (y, “tenth letter of the Phoenician abjad, yodh”). Doublet of iota and yodh. Etymology 1 sense 3 (“brief and hurriedly written note”) is derived from the verb. The verb is probably borrowed from Scots jot, from English jot (noun): see above.
Etymology 2
The verb is possibly onomatopoeic, suggesting a jerking motion. The noun is derived from the verb.