A slot is a narrow opening or groove that receives things. It can be a position in a building or an airplane wing.
A Word in Context
Depending on the context, slot can refer to a job opening, an interior space on a copy desk, or an airport slot that’s authorized by an air-traffic authority. A slot in a plane helps to avoid repeated delays caused by multiple flights operating at the same time.
An Electronics Use for Slot
A computer processor connection that was developed to make upgrading easier, where the user would only have to slide a processor into a slot. It was first released by the Intel Corporation in 1997 as a successor to Socket 8.
In electronics, a slot is a receptacle on a printed circuit board that allows components to pass values between them. It’s so useful that it’s even used to manage air traffic at busy airports.
An Opportunity to Make Money
A slot in a casino is a slot machine that has reels and paylines. It also has a paytable, which is a list of the symbols on the reels and how much they’ll pay.
An Area for Hockey Players
A slot on the ice or field is a rectangular area in the rink that extends toward the blue line. It’s also the fourth position in a flying display in hockey.
Another usage for slot is the “area in between the face-off circles” in hockey, where pilots land without having to travel around the entire ice rink.