Definition of jot

The origin of the word "jot" can be traced back to the Old English word "geote," which meant "earth" or "soil." In Middle English, the meaning of the word changed to "note" or "record," possibly due to the association between the earth and the concept of writing, as ancient people used clay tablets or other natural materials to record important information. The modern use of "jot" as a verb meaning "to write quickly and carelessly" likely evolved from the original meaning of the word as a noun, as people who were quickly "jotting" notes might be seen as creating imperfect or hasty marks in the same way that soil might be disturbed in a careless or haphazard manner. The Oxford English Dictionary lists the first recorded use of the word "jot" as a verb in the mid-15th century, when it was used in the context of "jotting down" notes. The use of "jot" as a noun in its modern sense, referring to a brief note or entry, is from the early 19th century.