allot

verb

al·​lot ə-ˈlät 

allotted; allotting

transitive verb

1

: to assign as a share or portion

allot 10 minutes for the speech

2

: to distribute by or as if by lot

allot seats to the press

allotter noun

Synonyms

• allocate
• allow
• apportion
• assign
• distribute
• lot
• ration

Examples of allot in a Sentence

Each speaker will be allotted 15 minutes.

The newspaper will allot a full page to each of the three mayoral candidates.

Recent Examples on the Web

The time allotted for updating the rules is coming to an end. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024

While there will be no opening statements from the two vice presidential candidates, each will be allotted two minutes for closing remarks, according to debate rules from CBS News. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 1 Oct. 2024

In the United States, a candidate becomes president not by winning a majority of the national popular vote but through a system called the Electoral College, which allots electoral votes to the 50 states and the District of Columbia largely based on their population. —George Fabe Russell, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024

Twenty-one of them provide paid time off and allot, on average, two hours for employees to make it to the polls, vote and return to work. —Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English alotten, borrowed from Anglo-French aloter, from a- (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + -loter, verbal derivative of lot "lot, portion, share," borrowed from Old Low Franconian *hlota-, going back to Germanic *hluta- — more at lot entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

allot

verb

al·​lot ə-ˈlät 

allotted; allotting

: to assign as a share or portion

allot 10 minutes for the speech