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
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
Dina Kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2025
Because the moons appear mostly as just little white dots on a black background in the photos taken of them, astronomers don't know much about the moons' characteristics yet.
—Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2025
Joyce Chen, Architectural Digest, 13 Mar. 2025
More than 80% of the 117 Seven Mile Drive properties dot the perimeter of the Dye’s Valley Course, brainchild of designers Pete Dye, Bobby Weed and 1982 Players champion Jerry Pate.
—Jack Bantock, CNN, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dot
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Noun
Lack of agents One of the main reasons the Shin Bet did not connect the dots before Oct. 7 was the difficulty in recruiting agents and intelligence sources on the ground in Gaza, says Mr. Melman, the author.
—Dina Kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2025
Because the moons appear mostly as just little white dots on a black background in the photos taken of them, astronomers don't know much about the moons' characteristics yet.
—Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2025
Verb
There are some 2,000 elk on the property and several lodges dotting the grounds, as well as two heated helicopter pads for year-round use.
—Joyce Chen, Architectural Digest, 13 Mar. 2025
More than 80% of the 117 Seven Mile Drive properties dot the perimeter of the Dye’s Valley Course, brainchild of designers Pete Dye, Bobby Weed and 1982 Players champion Jerry Pate.
—Jack Bantock, CNN, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dot
Articles Related to dot
Cite this Entry
“Dot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dot. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.
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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