divot

noun

div·​ot ˈdi-vət 

plural divots

1

Scotland : a square of turf or sod

2

: a loose piece of turf (such as one dug from a golf fairway in making a shot)

The caddies, I was solemnly assured, never replace a divot; they just sprinkle grass seed from a pouch they carry. Well, this is a myth, for I repeatedly saw caddies replace divots in the course of the tournament, with the care of tile-setters.

—John Updike

3

: a small dent : a small depression or hollow

… soft pastries of yeasted dough with a divot in the center, traditionally filled with sweetened cheese or fruit …

—John T. Edge

Examples of divot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Scientists involved in the expedition, led by the York Archaeological Trust, suspected the divots in the man’s pelvis were the work of a carnivore. —Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2025

Sea turtles, for example, haul themselves out onto beaches during breeding season to dig nests and plop dozens of eggs into the sandy divots before returning to the waves. —Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025

That’s the meteorite hitting the ground, leaving a small divot in the walkway. —Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025

The handle is slender, ergonomically shaped, and has divots for an easier grip (and more control). —Molly Higgins, Wired News, 2 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier Scots devat, from Middle English (Scots) duvat

First Known Use

circa 1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for divot

• civet
• pivot
• privet
• rivet