tot

1 of 2

noun

1
: a small child
2
: a small drink or allowance of liquor : shot

tot

2 of 2

verb

totted; totting

transitive verb

: to add together : total
usually used with up
tots up the score

Examples of tot in a Sentence

Verb tot up the prices of the individual pieces and see if buying the whole set makes more sense
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The tot was with their mother trying to re-book a flight at the JetBlue ticket counter at Newark’s Terminal A at about 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday when the child walked behind the kiosk and stepped onto the ankle-high conveyor belt where people on departing flights drop off their luggage. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 31 May 2025 But when the Doctor, Belinda, Poppy and Ruby Sunday returned to the TARDIS, and the Doctor and Belinda began excitedly making plans for their family’s time-hopping future, Ruby clocked that Poppy’s coat was getting smaller and smaller as it was handed back and forth between the tot’s parents. Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 31 May 2025 This recipe is meaty, cheesy, and topped with a layer of tater tots for the perfect finishing touch. Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 4 May 2025 Smith requested hotdogs, tater tots and apple pie with vanilla ice cream for his last meal. Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for tot

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

Verb

tot., abbreviation of total

First Known Use

Noun

1725, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1772, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of tot was in 1725

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tot. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

tot

noun
ˈtät
: a small child

More from Merriam-Webster on tot

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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