What does blot mean?
A blot is a spot or stain, most classically a drop of ink that falls onto paper and spreads into an unwelcome mark. As a verb, blot can mean to soak up excess ink with blotting paper — once an everyday ritual of letter writing — but today its dominant uses are figurative. To blot something out is to conceal or obliterate it entirely, whether clouds blotting out the sun or a memory deliberately blotted from mind. As a noun, blot also serves as a metaphor for disgrace: 'a blot on his reputation' suggests a lasting stain on an otherwise clean record, echoing the physical mark it derives from. The word belongs firmly to standard English in both British and American usage, with no regional restriction. Though its literal senses have faded along with fountain pens, its figurative power endures, making blot a compact and vivid way to describe both visual blemish and moral failing.
A spot or stain, especially of ink on paper; figuratively, a disgraceful flaw or stain on a person's record or reputation.
"She signed the contract quickly, leaving an ugly blot across the page."
The figurative sense ('a blot on one's copybook') is now more common than the literal ink-stain sense.
To mark with spots or stains; to absorb wet ink with blotting material; or to obliterate or obscure something completely (often as 'blot out').
"Thick smoke blotted out the afternoon sky."
Standard plural; used for both literal ink marks and figurative stains on reputation.
"The manuscript's final pages were covered in blots where the pen had lingered too long."
Before ballpoint pens took over, every desk had blotting paper — and the word 'blot' still carries the memory of the ink-stained era it helped manage.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of blot
Blot is of Germanic origin, related to Old Norse 'blettr', meaning a skin blemish or spot. The word entered Middle English around the fourteenth century in the literal sense of a spot or stain. Its use expanded naturally with the spread of writing and ink: by the sixteenth century it referred specifically to ink spots, giving rise to the verb meaning to stain, to dry ink, and eventually to erase or obliterate text altogether. Its figurative sense of moral disgrace developed from this literal staining.
Related word forms
How blot is actually used
As a verb, 'blot out' is far more common in modern usage than the literal sense of drying ink. The noun carries a strongly negative connotation when used figuratively — 'a blot on his career' implies permanent disgrace rather than minor criticism. The literal ink-stain senses are now somewhat dated, tied to the era of fountain pens and blotting paper.
Easily confused with blot
A blob is a soft, rounded lump or drop, while a blot is specifically a spot or stain, classically of ink.
A blemish is any flaw or imperfection, while a blot is more literally a visible spot or stain, often used figuratively for a disgrace.