I. ˈslät noun
Etymology: Middle English, the hollow at the base of the throat above the breastbone, from Anglo-French esclot hoofprint, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle High German slag blow, hoofprint; probably from its resemblance to a hoofprint — more at schlock
Date: 1523
1.
a. : a narrow opening or groove : slit , notch
a mail slot in a door
b. : a narrow passage or enclosure
c. : a passage through the wing of an airplane or of a missile that is located usually near the leading edge and formed between a main and an auxiliary airfoil for improving flow conditions over the wing so as to increase lift and delay stalling of the wing
d. : the area on a hockey rink in front of the crease and between the face-off circles
2. : a place or position in an organization, arrangement, or sequence : niche , spot
3. : slot machine 2 — usually used in plural
4. : a gap between an end and a tackle in an offensive football line
II. verb
( slot·ted ; slot·ting )
Date: 1747
transitive verb
1. : to cut a slot in
2. : to place in or assign to a slot
intransitive verb
: to fit easily
her ideas slot neatly into the theory
III. noun
( plural slot )
Etymology: Middle French esclot track
Date: 1575
: the track of an animal (as a deer)