mot

[ moh ]
See synonyms for mot on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a pithy or witty remark; bon mot.

  2. Archaic. a note on a horn, bugle, etc.

Origin of mot

1
1625–35; <French <Late Latin muttum utterance. See motto

Words Nearby mot

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use mot in a sentence

  • A talented cartoonist, distinguished practical joker, and recognized as one of the kings of bon mot, he led a free and easy life.

    Repertory Of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A -- Z | Anatole Cerfberr and Jules Franois Christophe
  • This style of the decadence is the "dernier mot" of Verbe, summoned to express all and to venture to the very extremes.

    Charles Baudelaire, His Life | Thophile Gautier
  • A joke, a banter, a bon-mot, make more impression upon the man of the world than all the grave notions of his religion.

  • So Macklin subsided; and Thyrsis learned afterwards that his remark was going the rounds, being considered to be a mot.

    Love's Pilgrimage | Upton Sinclair
  • The "sire," fell on the ears of Madame Chalice like a mot in a play; but Valmond, living up to his part, was grave and solicitous.

British Dictionary definitions for mot (1 of 3)

mot1

/ (məʊ) /


noun
  1. short for bon mot

Origin of mot

1
C16: via French from Vulgar Latin mottum (unattested) utterance, from Latin muttum a mutter, from muttīre to mutter

British Dictionary definitions for mot (2 of 3)

mot2

/ (mɒt) /


noun
  1. Dublin slang a girl or young woman, esp one's girlfriend

Origin of mot

2
perhaps a variant of mort, obsolete slang for girl or woman, of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for MOT (3 of 3)

MOT

abbreviation for
  1. (in New Zealand and formerly in Britain) Ministry of Transport (in Britain now part of the DTLR): See DTLR

  2. (in Britain) MOT test: a compulsory annual test for all road vehicles over a certain age, which require a valid MOT certificate

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