dot
English meaning: Dot
Definition
A small, round spot.
Example
“a dot of colour”
Another example: “From the plane, the houses looked like tiny dots scattered below.”
Usage — When, Where & How
A very common, neutral noun for a small round mark or spot, and a verb meaning to scatter or to mark with dots. Used in punctuation ('dot the i'), technology ('dot-com'), and the phrase 'on the dot' (exactly on time).
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From Old English 'dott' (head of a boil, speck); the modern sense of a small mark is recorded from the 16th century.
Related Words
- dotty
- stigmata
- dots
- suffusion
- obliquely
- fuscous
- dorsum
- indistinct
- blackish
- cloudy
Common Collocations
- polka dot
- on the dot
- dot-com
- connect the dots
- dot the i's
- tiny dot
Word Forms
dot (n & v); dots; dotted; dotting
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B