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
This heirloom-quality book is the ultimate gift for the special tot on your list or your adult child who welcomed a child of their own this year. Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Dec. 2024 The adorable tot looked directly at the lens while visiting mom on set. Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024 To have any chance of becoming their normal size again, the teeny tots must navigate their way across the family's (now seemingly gigantic) yard and back to the house. Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 21 Nov. 2024 The clip shared on X—which used to be —showed the tot sat on the floor of a living room clad in a onesie. Julia Hunt, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near tot

Cite this Entry

“Tot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tot. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

tot

noun
ˈtät
: a small child

More from Merriam-Webster on tot

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!