A slot is a narrow depression, groove, notch, or slit, especially one for receiving something, such as a coin or a letter. It can also refer to a position or time: She has a four o’clock slot for her TV show on Thursdays.
A slit or narrow opening in the wings of certain birds that helps them maintain a steady flow of air over their bodies during flight. A slit in a door or window that allows the passage of light. A small opening at the tip of a screw or nail that keeps it in place.
In aviation, a time and date at which a plane may take off or land at an airport, or the limit of the number of airplanes allowed to land or take off during a specific period. Also called a slots allocation or slot schedule.
In the United States, a slot is an authorization for a flight to land or take off at an airport during a certain period of time. This is used at extremely busy airports to prevent repeated delays due to too many flights trying to take off or land at the same time.
An elongated depression, groove, or slit in the side of something, such as a ship’s hull or a doorframe. A narrow opening or slit for admitting something, such as a coin or ring. The term is often used informally to refer to a position or time: She was slotted into the four o’clock slot on the committee.
The part of a computer or other machine that holds data, such as the central processing unit (CPU). A CPU has multiple slots that can hold different programs and data simultaneously. A slot can also refer to a specific location on a storage medium, such as an hard disk or optical disc.
A slot, or slotta, in Australian rules football, rugby league, or Australian rules cricket is an unmarked area close to the opponent’s goal that affords a good vantage point for an attacking player. It is sometimes used in place of a penalty box.
A small notch or narrow opening, especially between the primaries of certain birds, that helps them maintain a constant flow of air over their wings during flight.
An assigned time for a specific task or activity, such as a television program or a meeting. He was scheduled for the eight o’clock slot on Thursdays.
The outcome of a spin at a slot machine is random, regardless of how much money is placed in the machine. This is because the machine uses a random number generator that randomly assigns numbers to each possible combination of symbols on a reel. This makes it impossible to predict a winning combination ahead of time. Despite this, some players still believe that a particular machine is “due” to pay out. But, no matter how much you bet or how long you play, there is no way to know when a machine will reach its payout.