1
: a small spot : speck entry 1
2
: a small round mark: such as
a(1)
: a small point made with a pointed instrument
a dot on the chart marked the ship's position
(2)
: a small round mark used in orthography or punctuation
put a dot over the i
b
: a centered point used as a multiplication sign (as in 6 · 5 = 30)
c(1)
: a point after a note or rest in music indicating augmentation of the time value by one half
(2)
: a point over or under a note indicating that it is to be played staccato
3
: a precise point especially in time
arrived at six on the dot
4
: a short click or buzz forming a letter or part of a letter (as in the Morse code)
5
: a point used to separate components of an address on the Internet
dotted; dotting
1
: to mark with a dot
2
: to intersperse with dots or objects scattered at random
boats dotting the lake
: to make a dot
dotter
noun
Department of Transportation
Synonyms
Examples of dot in a Sentence
Noun (1)
there was just a dot on the tablecloth where the food had spattered
Verb
Don't forget to dot the i.
Quaint cottages dot the countryside.
The fields were dotted with wildflowers.
Dot the cream all over your face.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2024
Wipe Down the Body of Your Earbuds or Headphones
As for the body of the earphones, run a dry cloth or cotton swab over the metal charging points (the little magnetic dots on them that click into the tiny metal prongs in the charging case).
—Julia Ries, Outside Online, 14 Nov. 2024
Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
There were more than three dozen sets dotting the tables, adding color, kitsch, charm and conversation to the table settings — everything from a pair of tomatoes to the vintage bride and groom [figures] at our sweetheart table.
—Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dot 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Users can see a developing fire on the map, represented by a glowing yellow dot well before its perimeter is reported to the NIFC.
—Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2024
Wipe Down the Body of Your Earbuds or Headphones
As for the body of the earphones, run a dry cloth or cotton swab over the metal charging points (the little magnetic dots on them that click into the tiny metal prongs in the charging case).
—Julia Ries, Outside Online, 14 Nov. 2024
Verb
In the afternoon, thick gray smoke filled the air in the hillside neighborhood of Las Posas Estates, which was illuminated by the flashing red lights of fire vehicles and bright orange bursts of small brush fires dotting the sides of the road.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
There were more than three dozen sets dotting the tables, adding color, kitsch, charm and conversation to the table settings — everything from a pair of tomatoes to the vintage bride and groom [figures] at our sweetheart table.
—Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dot
Articles Related to dot
Dictionary Entries Near dot
Cite this Entry
“Dot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dot. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dot
1 of 2 noun1
: a small spot : speck
2
: a small round mark made with or as if with a pen: as
a
: a point after a note or rest in music indicating increase of the time value by one half
b
: a centered dot · used as a sign of multiplication
3
: an exact point in time or space
arrived at six on the dot
4
: a short click or buzz forming a letter or part of a letter (as in the Morse code)
dot
2 of 2 verb
dotted; dotting
1
: to mark with a dot
dot an "i"
2
: to cover with or as if with dots
green buds dotted the branches
dotter
noun
Medical Definition
dot
noun
: a small spot or speck see maurer's dots, schuffner's dots
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