What does jot mean?
“Jot” is a versatile word meaning to make a quick, brief note and, as a noun, an extremely small quantity. The verb is especially common in the expression “jot down,” as in “I’ll jot down the directions,” and is often used for recording a thought, name, date, or detail before it is forgotten. It has an informal, practical tone rather than suggesting careful or polished writing. The noun is much more restricted and is most familiar from the phrase “not a jot,” meaning not even a tiny amount. Although “jot” can refer literally to a small mark or scribble, its figurative uses are more productive: a person may jot something down, make a jot of a note, or say that a person has not done a jot of work. The word is useful because it combines brevity and speed in a single familiar expression.
To write something down quickly, briefly, or roughly.
"He jotted a few notes on the back of an envelope."
Commonly used with “down.” It is informal and often implies writing a thought or detail in a brief, hurried form.
A very small amount of something.
"The children showed not a jot of fear."
Most often used in the fixed phrase “not a jot,” meaning “not even the smallest amount.”
The plural is rare; the noun is normally used in singular constructions such as “not a jot.”
"There were only a few jots of ink left on the page."
To jot something down is to capture a thought before it disappears.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does jot come from?
The word is attested in Middle English and developed both as a verb associated with making a brief written record and as a noun meaning a small amount. Its precise origin is historically uncertain, but the modern meanings preserve the central idea of something written quickly and briefly, later extending figuratively to a tiny quantity.
How jot is actually used
The verb is informal and commonly appears in the phrasal verb “jot down.” The noun is most typical in the set phrase “not a jot,” which has a formal or literary tone and means “not even the smallest amount.”