spot

English

Etymology

From Middle English spot, spotte, partially from Middle Dutch spotte (“spot, speck”), and partially merging with Middle English splot, from Old English splott (“spot, plot of land”). Cognate with North Frisian spot (“speck, piece of ground”), Low German spot (“speck”), Old Norse spotti (“small piece”). See also splot, splotch.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /spɒt/
• Rhymes: -ɒt
• (US) IPA^(key): /spɑt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

spot (plural spots)

1. A round or irregular patch on the surface of a thing having a different color, texture etc. and generally round in shape.

   The leopard is noted for the spots of color in its fur.

   Why do ladybugs have spots?

   • Round definition

     Of shape:

     1. Circular or cylindrical; having a circular cross-section in one direction. (1 of 14 round definitions)

   • Irregular definition

     nonstandard; not conforming to rules or expectations (1 of 6 irregular definitions)

   • Patch definition

     A piece of cloth, or other suitable material, sewed or otherwise fixed upon a garment to repair or strengthen it, especially upon an old garment to cover a hole. (1 of 18 patch definitions)

   • Surface definition

     The overside or up-side of a flat object such as a table, or of a liquid. (1 of 4 surface definitions)

   • Color definition

     The spectral composition of visible light. (1 of 24 color definitions)

   • Texture definition

     The feel or shape of a surface or substance; the smoothness, roughness, softness, etc. of something. (1 of 6 texture definitions)
2. A stain or disfiguring mark.

   I have tried everything, and I can’t get this spot out.

   • Stain definition

     A discoloured spot or area. (1 of 5 stain definitions)

   • Disfigure definition

     to change the appearance of something/someone to the negative.

   • Mark definition

     Boundary, land within a boundary.

     1. A boundary; a border or frontier.
     2. A boundary-post or fence.
     3. A stone or post used to indicate position and guide travellers.
     4. A type of small region or principality.
     5. A common, or area of common land, especially among early Germanic peoples.

     (1 of 38 mark definitions)
3. A pimple, papule or pustule.

   That morning, I saw that a spot had come up on my chin.

   I think she's got chicken pox; she's covered in spots.

   • Pimple definition

     An inflamed (raised and colored) spot on the surface of the skin that is usually painful and fills with pus. (1 of 3 pimple definitions)

   • Papule definition

     A small, inflammatory, irritated spot on the skin, similar in appearance to a pimple, but not containing pus.

   • Pustule definition

     A small accumulation of pus in the epidermis or dermis. (1 of 3 pustule definitions)
4. A small, unspecified amount or quantity.

   Do come 'round on Sunday for a spot of tea, won't you?

   • Amount definition

     The total, aggregate or sum of material . (1 of 3 amount definitions)

   • Quantity definition

     A fundamental, generic term used when referring to the measurement (count, amount) of a scalar, vector, number of items or to some other way of denominating the value of a collection or group of items. (1 of 7 quantity definitions)
5. (slang, US) A bill of five-dollar or ten-dollar denomination in dollars.

   Here's the twenty bucks I owe you, a ten spot and two five spots.

6. A location or area.

   I like to eat lunch in a pleasant spot outside.

   For our anniversary we went back to the same spot where we first met.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], OCLC 228722708; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554:

     That spot to which I point is Paradise.

   • 1800, William Wordsworth, Hart-leap Well

     "A jolly place," said he, "in times of old! / But something ails it now: the spot is curs'd."

   • 2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France [1]

     Yachvilli made it 6-0 with a second sweet strike from 45 metres after Matt Stevens was penalised for collapsing a scrum, and then slid another penalty just wide from the same spot.

   • Location definition

     A particular point or place in physical space. (1 of 6 location definitions)

   • Area definition

     A measure of the extent of a surface; it is measured in square units. (1 of 7 area definitions)
7. A parking space.
   • 2011 March 23, “We asked mayoral candidates: Do you support 'dibs' on parking spots?”, in Chicago Sun-Times:

     Del Valle has the blessing of a garage, so he doesn't have to claim “dibs” on shoveled street spots himself, he said.

   • Parking Space definition

     A space in which a car or other vehicle can be parked.
8. (sports) An official determination of placement.

   The fans were very unhappy with the referee's spot of the ball.

   • Sports definition

     plural of sport
9. A bright lamp; a spotlight.

   • Bright definition

     Emitting much light; visually dazzling; luminous, lucent, radiant. (1 of 25 bright definitions)

   • Lamp definition

     A device that generates heat, light or other radiation. Especially an electric light bulb. (1 of 3 lamp definitions)

   • Spotlight definition

     A bright, directional light or lamp, especially one used to illuminate the focus or center of attention on a stage. (1 of 3 spotlight definitions)
10. (US, advertising) A brief advertisement or program segment on television.

    Did you see the spot on the news about the shoelace factory?

    • Advertising definition

      Communication whose purpose is to influence potential customers about products and services. (1 of 2 advertising definitions)

    • Brief definition

      Of short duration; happening quickly. (1 of 4 brief definitions)

    • Advertisement definition

      A commercial solicitation designed to sell some commodity, service or similar. (1 of 5 advertisement definitions)

    • Program definition

      A set of structured activities. (1 of 6 program definitions)

    • Segment definition

      A length of some object. (1 of 16 segment definitions)

    • Television definition

      An electronic communication medium that allows the transmission of real-time visual images, and often sound. (1 of 4 television definitions)
11. A difficult situation.

    Synonyms: predicament; see also Thesaurus:difficult situation

    She was in a real spot when she ran into her separated husband while on a date.

    • Predicament definition

      A definite class, state or condition. (1 of 3 predicament definitions)
12. (gymnastics, dance, weightlifting) One who spots (supports or assists a maneuver, or is prepared to assist if safety dictates); a spotter.

    • Gymnastics definition

      A sport involving the performance of sequences of movements requiring physical strength, flexibility, and kinesthetic awareness. (1 of 2 gymnastics definitions)

    • Dance definition

      A sequence of rhythmic steps or movements usually performed to music, for pleasure or as a form of social interaction. (1 of 9 dance definitions)

    • Support definition

      (1 of 12 support definitions)

    • Assist definition

      To help. (1 of 5 assist definitions)

    • Maneuver definition

      The planned movement of troops, vehicles etc.; a strategic repositioning; a large training field-exercise of fighting units. (1 of 5 maneuver definitions)

    • Dictate definition

      An order or command.

    • Spotter definition

      A person who observes something. (1 of 6 spotter definitions)
13. (soccer) Penalty spot.
    • 2011 January 8, Chris Bevan, “Arsenal 1 - 1 Leeds”, in BBC‎^[2]:

      The Gunners dominated for long periods but, against the run of play, Denilson fouled Max Gradel and Robert Snodgrass put Leeds ahead from the spot.

    • Soccer definition

      association football.

    • Penalty Spot definition

      a small white spot, painted on the grass, twelve yards in front of the centre of the goal line, from which all penalty kicks are taken
14. The act of spotting or noticing something.

    You've misspelled "terrapin" here. —Whoops. Good spot.

15. A variety of the common domestic pigeon, so called from a spot on its head just above the beak.

    • Pigeon definition

      One of several birds of the family Columbidae, which consists of more than 300 species. (1 of 5 pigeon definitions)
16. A food fish (Leiostomus xanthurus) of the Atlantic coast of the United States, with a black spot behind the shoulders and fifteen oblique dark bars on the sides.

    • Food Fish definition

      Any fish used as human food.

    • United States definition

      (1 of 5 United States definitions)
17. The southern redfish, or red horse (Sciaenops ocellatus), which has a spot on each side at the base of the tail.
18. (in the plural, brokers' slang, dated) Commodities, such as merchandise and cotton, sold for immediate delivery.
19. An autosoliton.

    • Autosoliton definition

      A dissipative soliton; a stable solitary localized structure that arises in nonlinear spatially extended dissipative systems due to mechanisms of self-organization.
20. (finance) A decimal point; point.

    Twelve spot two five pounds sterling. ― £12.25

    • Finance definition

      The management of money and other assets. (1 of 4 finance definitions)

    • Decimal Point definition

      A period/full stop ⟨.⟩ or middot ⟨·⟩ used to set off the decimal or fractional part of a number. (1 of 3 decimal point definitions)

    • Point definition

      A discrete division of something.

      1. An individual element in a larger whole; a particular detail, thought, or quality. (1 of 59 point definitions)
21. Any of various points marked on the table, from which balls are played, in snooker, pool, billiards, etc.

    • Snooker definition

      A cue sport, popular in the UK and other Commonwealth of Nations countries. (1 of 2 snooker definitions)

    • Pool definition

      A small and rather deep area of (usually) fresh water, as one supplied by a spring, or occurring in the course of a stream or river; a reservoir for water. (1 of 7 pool definitions)

    • Billiards definition

      A two-player cue sport played with two cue balls and one red ball, on a snooker sized table. (1 of 2 billiards definitions)
22. Any of the balls marked with spots in the game of pool, which one player aims to pot, the other player taking the stripes.

    • Ball definition

      A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass. (1 of 24 ball definitions)

    • Pot definition

      (1 of 23 pot definitions)

    • Stripe definition

      A long region of a single colour in a repeating pattern of similar regions. (1 of 9 stripe definitions)

Hyponyms

• sitspot
• shot spot
• sweet spot

Derived terms

Descendants

• → Catalan: espot

Translations

Verb

spot (third-person singular simple present spots, present participle spotting, simple past and past participle spotted)

1. (transitive) To see, find; to pick out, notice, locate, distinguish or identify.

   Try to spot the differences between these two pictures.

   • 2020 July 1, Ruth Sutherland and Neil Peters, “Answering the call”, in Rail, page 47:

     The campaign aimed to give commuters the confidence to trust their own instincts and intervene if they spot someone vulnerable who may be at risk of suicide, and to talk to them to interrupt their suicidal thoughts.

   • See definition

     To perceive or detect someone or something with the eyes, or as if by sight.

     1. To witness or observe by personal experience. (1 of 20 see definitions)

   • Find definition

     To encounter or discover by accident; to happen upon. (1 of 13 find definitions)

   • Pick Out definition

     to remove by picking (1 of 6 pick out definitions)

   • Notice definition

     The act of observing; perception. (1 of 8 notice definitions)

   • Locate definition

     To place; to set in a particular spot or position. (1 of 4 locate definitions)

   • Distinguish definition

     To recognize someone or something as different from others based on its characteristics. (1 of 4 distinguish definitions)

   • Identify definition

     To establish the identity of. (1 of 7 identify definitions)
2. (finance) To loan a small amount of money to someone.

   I’ll spot you ten dollars for lunch.

   • Loan definition

     An act or instance of lending, an act or instance of granting something for temporary use. (1 of 4 loan definitions)

   • Money definition

     A legally or socially binding conceptual contract of entitlement to wealth, void of intrinsic value, payable for all debts and taxes, and regulated in supply. (1 of 8 money definitions)
3. (transitive, intransitive) To stain; to leave a spot (on).

   Hard water will spot if it is left on a surface.

   a garment spotted with mould

   • Transitive definition

     Making a transit or passage. (1 of 6 transitive definitions)

   • Intransitive definition

     Not transitive: not having, or not taking, a direct object. (1 of 2 intransitive definitions)
4. To remove, or attempt to remove, a stain.

   I spotted the carpet where the child dropped spaghetti.

5. To retouch a photograph on film to remove minor flaws.

   • Retouch definition

     To improve something (especially a photograph), by adding or correcting details, or by removing flaws. (1 of 3 retouch definitions)
6. (gymnastics, dance, weightlifting, climbing) To support or assist a maneuver, or to be prepared to assist if safety dictates.

   I can’t do a back handspring unless somebody spots me.

   • Climbing definition

     The sport of climbing, ascending a wall or a rock or another object using available holds, generally with the safety of a rope and belayer. (1 of 2 climbing definitions)
7. (dance) To keep the head and eyes pointing in a single direction while turning.

   Most figure skaters do not spot their turns like dancers do.

   • Turn definition

     To make a non-linear physical movement.

     1. Of a body, person, etc, to move around an axis through itself. (1 of 35 turn definitions)
8. To stain; to blemish; to taint; to disgrace; to tarnish, as reputation.
   • a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the page number)”, in Fulke Greville, Matthew Gwinne, and John Florio, editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, OCLC 801077108; republished in Albert Feuillerat, editor, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia (Cambridge English Classics: The Complete Works of Sir Philip Sidney; I), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: University Press, 1912, OCLC 318419127:

     Link not me in self same chain With the wicked-working folk, Who their spotted thoughts do cloak.

   • c. 1608–1610, Francis Beaumont; John Fletcher, “Philaster: Or, Love Lies a Bleeding”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1679, OCLC 3083972, Act V, scene ii:

     If ever I shall close these eyes but once, / May I live spotted for my perjury.

9. To cut or chip (timber) in preparation for hewing.
10. (transitive, chiefly snooker and billiards) To place an object at a location indicated by a spot.

    The referee had to spot the pink on the blue spot.

11. (aviation, military, transitive) To position (an aircraft) on the deck of an aircraft carrier ready for launch by catapult.
    • 1959, United States. Bureau of Naval Personnel, Aviation Boatswain's Mate 3 & 2: Navy Training Courses (page 315)

      The aircraft is spotted on the catapult, and the console operator turns the crank to FIRST READY, causing the exhaust valve to close.

    • 1990, Mike Harvell, Airman (page 9-37)

      This spotting order varies from carrier to carrier to suit the flight-deck layout. Certain aircraft must be spotted in a specific location to permit servicing, loading of ammunition, starting, maintenance, and so forth.

    • Aviation definition

      The art or science of making and flying aircraft. (1 of 5 aviation definitions)

    • Military definition

      Characteristic of members of the armed forces. (1 of 4 military definitions)

    • Aircraft definition

      A vehicle capable of atmospheric flight due to interaction with the air, such as buoyancy or lift

    • Deck definition

      Any raised flat surface that can be walked on: a balcony; a porch; a raised patio; a flat rooftop. (1 of 12 deck definitions)

    • Aircraft Carrier definition

      A warship designed to carry aircraft, serving as a seagoing air base, with a deck on which aircraft can be launched and landed.

    • Launch definition

      To throw (a projectile such as a lance, dart or ball); to hurl; to propel with force. (1 of 10 launch definitions)

    • Catapult definition

      A device or weapon for throwing or launching large objects. (1 of 5 catapult definitions)
12. (rail transport, transitive) To position (a locomotive or car) at a predetermined point, e.g., for loading or unloading.

    • Rail Transport definition

      The transport of passengers and goods by means of wheeled vehicles specially designed to run on railways or railroads.

    • Locomotive definition

      The power unit of a train that pulls the coaches or wagons. (1 of 5 locomotive definitions)

    • Car definition

      ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-3 language code for Galibi Carib.

Translations

Adjective

spot (not comparable)

1. (commerce, finance) Available on the spot; for immediate payment or delivery.

   spot wheat

   spot cash

   a spot contract

   • On The Spot definition

     At that very moment. (1 of 3 on the spot definitions)

   • Immediate definition

     Happening right away, instantly, with no delay. (1 of 6 immediate definitions)

   • Payment definition

     The act of paying. (1 of 2 payment definitions)

   • Delivery definition

     (1 of 12 delivery definitions)

Translations

Anagrams

• OTPs, POST, POTS, PTOs, Post, TPOs, opts, post, post-, post., pots, stop, tops

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Danish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈsb̥ʌd̥]

Etymology 1

From the verb spotte (“to mock”). Compare Old Norse spottr, German Spott.

Noun

spot c (singular definite spotten, not used in plural form)

1. mockery, ridicule
   • 2013, Jan Guillou, Vejen til Jerusalem, Modtryk →ISBN

     Men at også den anden søn savnede alle mandlige dyder, var straks værre og gjorde spotten større.

     But that the other son, too, lacked all male virtues, was much worse and enlarged the mockery.

   • 2010, Tove Ditlevsen, Man gjorde et barn fortræd, Gyldendal A/S →ISBN

     Hun havde råd til at smile igen, så ligegyldig var deres spot hende.

     She could afford to smile back, that was how little she cared about their ridicule.

   • 2015, Jørgen Christensen, Muhammed-tegningerne, demokratiet og sikkerhedspolitikken, BoD – Books on Demand →ISBN, page 9

     I artiklen skrev kulturredaktør Flemming Rose bl.a., at muslimer måtte acceptere, at deres religiøse følelser blev udsat for hån, spot og latterliggørelse^[sic]:...

     In the article, editor of culture Flemming Rose wrote, among other things, that muslims had to accept their religious feelings being made the object of mockery, derision and ridicule:...

   • 2014, Fjodor M. Dostojevskij, Minder fra dødens hus, Bechs Forlag - Viatone →ISBN

     Først sporede man hos alle en heftig forbitrelse, derefter en dyb nedslåethed, og endelig syntes al sindsbevægelse at vige pladsen for hoverende spot.

     At first, one saw with everyone a hefty bitterness, then a deep sadness, and finally, all emotion seemed to recede, making way for gloating mockery.

   • Mockery definition

     The action of mocking; ridicule, derision. (1 of 4 mockery definitions)

   • Ridicule definition

     to criticize or disapprove of someone or something through scornful jocularity; to make fun of

Inflection

Etymology 2

From English spot.

Noun

spot c or n (singular definite spotten or spottet, plural indefinite spot or spots)

1. spotlight
   • 1982, Lene H. Bagger, Idioterne, p. 179

     I millisekundet hvor lyset satte spots på hendes uforberedte ansigt, røbede det hende

     In the short moment when the light turned the spotlight on her unprepared face, it revealed her

2. spot (short advertisement in radio or TV)
   • 2012, Jyllands-Posten

     Lego meddeler, at deres juleomsætning overgik alle forventninger på grund af spottene i TV 2

     LEGO informs that their Christmas sale surpassed all expectations due to the spots on TV 2

   • Spot definition

     A round or irregular patch on the surface of a thing having a different color, texture etc. and generally round in shape. (1 of 22 spot definitions)

Inflection

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

spot

1. imperative of spotte

   • Spotte definition

     to mock, deride

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Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /spɔt/

• spot

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔt

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch spot, from Old Dutch *spot, from Proto-Germanic *spuþþaz.

Noun

spot m (uncountable)

1. mockery

   Synonyms: spotternij, plagerij, pesterij

   • Plagerij definition

     worry, concern (1 of 2 plagerij definitions)

   • Pesterij definition

     bullying, teasing

Descendants

• Negerhollands: spot

Etymology 2

Borrowed from English spot.

Noun

spot m (plural spots, diminutive spotje n)

1. spot; a spotlight.
2. spot; a brief segment on television.

Anagrams

• post, stop

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French

Etymology

Borrowed from English spot.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /spɔt/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

spot m (plural spots)

1. (physics) light spot

   • Physics definition

     The branch of science concerned with the study of the properties and interactions of space, time, matter and energy. (1 of 2 physics definitions)
2. blip (on radar)

   • Blip definition

     A small dot registered on electronic equipment, such as a radar or oscilloscope screen. (1 of 4 blip definitions)
3. (cinematography, theater) spotlight, spot

   • Cinematography definition

     The art, process, or job of filming movies. (1 of 2 cinematography definitions)

   • Theater definition

     A place or building, consisting of a stage and seating, in which an audience gathers to watch plays, musical performances, public ceremonies, and so on. (1 of 7 theater definitions)
4. (surfing) area

   • Surfing definition

     present participle of surf
5. (television) spot; a brief segment on television

Further reading

• “spot”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• pots, stop

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Indonesian

Etymology

From English spot.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈspɔt]
• Hyphenation: spot

Noun

spot

1. (colloquial) spot, a location or area.

Further reading

• “spot” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI) Daring, Jakarta: Badan Pengembangan dan Pembinaan Bahasa, Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia, 2016.

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Italian

Etymology

From English spot.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈspɔt/
• Rhymes: -ɔt
• Hyphenation: spòt

Noun

spot m (invariable)

1. spot (theatrical light; luminous point; brief radio or TV advertisment)

Further reading

• spot in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Anagrams

• post, post-, stop

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Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *spot, from Proto-Germanic *sputtaz.

Noun

spot m or n

1. joke, jest

   • Joke definition

     An amusing story. (1 of 5 joke definitions)

   • Jest definition

     An act performed for amusement; a joke. (1 of 4 jest definitions)
2. mockery, derision

   • Derision definition

     Act of treating with disdain. (1 of 2 derision definitions)

Inflection

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Derived terms

• spotten

Descendants

• Dutch: spot

Further reading

• “spot”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “spot”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN

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Old High German

Etymology

Compare Dutch spot. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Noun

spot m

1. mockery

Declension

Descendants

• Middle High German: spot
  • German: Spott

References

1. Köbler, Gerhard, Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, (6. Auflage) 2014

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Polish

Etymology

Borrowed from English spot (“brief advertisement”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /spɔt/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔt
• Syllabification: spot
• Homophone: spod

Noun

spot m inan

1. (neologism) spot, a short broadcast in television

Usage notes

Used for all short informational and promotional broadcasts, such as public service announcements, social campaigns, election ads and advertisements. The native counterpart reklama is restricted to advertisements.

Declension

Further reading

• spot in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• spot in Polish dictionaries at PWN

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Scottish Gaelic

Noun

spot m (genitive singular spoit, plural spotan)

1. spot, stain
2. spot, place

   • Place definition

     An area; somewhere within an area.

     1. An open space, particularly a city square, market square, or courtyard.
     2. A street, sometimes but not always surrounding a public place, square, or plaza of the same name. (1 of 25 place definitions)

Synonyms

• (place): bad

Derived terms

• spot dall

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Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from English spot.

Noun

spot m (plural spots)

1. advert, ad

   • Advert definition

     An advertisement, an ad.

   • Ad definition

     Abbreviation of advertisement. (1 of 3 ad definitions)

Further reading

• “spot”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014

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Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English sport.

Noun

spot

1. sport

   • Sport definition

     Any activity that uses physical exertion or skills competitively under a set of rules that is not based on aesthetics. (1 of 14 sport definitions)

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Volapük

Noun

spot (nominative plural spots)

1. sport

Declension