What is a Slot?

A narrow notch, groove, or opening, as in a keyway in machinery or a slit for coins in a vending machine. Also: a position, as in a group, series, or sequence; an assignment or job opening: He got the slot as chief copy editor at the newspaper.

a place in a group, series, or sequence, or the time of day at which something takes place: The plane has a scheduled slot for takeoff at ten.

(computing) a space in memory or on disk in which a specific type of object can be stored: A disk with several save slots.

Ornithology A narrow notch in the primaries of some birds, which during flight help to guide air flow over the wings and tail.

Sports A rectangular area in front of the goal on an ice hockey rink, or in American football between the last defensive lineman and one of the wide receivers. Also: (slang) the position on a team’s roster at which a player is placed, especially in relation to other players.

A slot in a schedule or program, or a position in an activity: Visitors can book a time slot a week or more in advance. If you slot something into another thing, or if it slots easily into place: He dropped the coin in the slot and dialed. If you get greedy or bet more than you can afford to lose: The odds of hitting a slot are astronomical.