# jot

> English word · Noun · IPA /d͡ʒɒt/ · frequency rank #34,554

## Definitions
1. The smallest letter or stroke of any writing; an iota.
2. A small, or the smallest, amount of a thing; a bit, a whit.
3. A small, or the smallest, amount of a thing; a bit, a whit.
4. A brief and hurriedly written note.

## Etymology
The noun is borrowed from Latin iōta (“the letter iota of the Ancient Greek alphabet”), from Ancient Greek ἰῶτα (iôta, “ninth letter of the Ancient Greek alphabet; (figurative) very small part of writing, jot”), from Phoenician 𐤉 (y‬, “tenth letter of the Phoenician abjad, yodh”). Doublet of iota and yodh.
Etymology 1 sense 3 (“brief and hurriedly written note”) is derived from the verb.
The verb is probably borrowed from Scots jot, from English jot (noun): see above.

## Easily confused with
- **Jr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jot-vs-jr)
- **Ju** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jot-vs-ju)
- **JV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jot-vs-jv)
- **JW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jot-vs-jw)
- **joy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jot-vs-joy)
- **jun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jot-vs-jun)
- **jug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jot-vs-jug)
- **jus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jot-vs-jus)
- **just** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jot-vs-just)
- **joys** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jot-vs-joys)
- **jour** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jot-vs-jour)
- **jute** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jot-vs-jute)
- **JSON** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jot-vs-json)
- **Jove** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jot-vs-jove)
- **j** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/j-vs-jot)
- **jo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jo-vs-jot)
- **JI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ji-vs-jot)
- **JA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ja-vs-jot)
- **JD** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jd-vs-jot)
- **JK** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jk-vs-jot)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/jot