lot

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈlät

plural lots

: an object used as a counter in determining a question by chance see also throw in one's lot with

: the use of lots as a means of deciding something

One was chosen by lot to represent the group.

: the resulting choice

: something that comes to one upon whom a lot has fallen : share

The will provided for equal lots for all the children.

: one's way of life or worldly fate : fortune

the lot of man, to suffer and to die

Alexander Pope

: a portion of land

: a measured parcel of land having fixed boundaries and designated on a plot or survey

built his home on a half-acre lot

: a motion-picture studio and its adjoining property

: an establishment for the storage or sale of motor vehicles

a used car lot

: a number of units of an article, a single article, or a parcel of articles offered as one item (as in an auction sale)

Lot 45 is a dining room set.

: all the members of a present group, kind, or quantity

—usually used with the

sampled the whole lot of desserts

: a number of associated persons : set

fell in with a rough lot

: kind, sort

The recruits were a sorry lot.

: a considerable quantity or extent

a lot of money

lots of friends

lot

2 of 3

verb

lotted; lotting

transitive verb

: allot, apportion

: to form or divide into lots

Lot

3 of 3

noun (2)

ˈlät

: a nephew of Abraham who according to the account in Genesis escaped from the doomed city of Sodom with his wife who turned into a pillar of salt when she looked back

Phrases

all over the lot

: covering a wide or varied range

received bids all over the lot

a lot

: to a considerable degree or extent

this is a lot nicer

: often, frequently

runs a lot every day

: lots

Choose the Right Synonym for lot

fate, destiny, lot, portion, doom mean a predetermined state or end.

fate implies an inevitable and usually an adverse outcome.

the fate of the submarine is unknown

destiny implies something foreordained and often suggests a great or noble course or end.

the country's destiny to be a model of liberty to the world

lot and portion imply a distribution by fate or destiny, lot suggesting blind chance

it was her lot to die childless

, portion implying the apportioning of good and evil.

remorse was his daily portion

doom distinctly implies a grim or calamitous fate.

if the rebellion fails, his doom is certain

Example Sentences

Noun (1) He bought the vacant lot across the street. They own the house on the corner lot. We took a tour of the Universal lot. The organization has done much to improve the lot of underprivileged youth. Unhappy with her lot in life, she moved to the city to start over. Verb everyone is lotted opportunities in life, and it's their responsibility to take them See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Both approaches are really valid to a lot of people.

Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Nov. 2022 But there’s a lot to be grateful for this year, including any changes that the stars have brought.

The Astrotwins, ELLE, 30 Nov. 2022 In Marcus Adams, there’s a whole lot of talent to build around.

Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2022 In between, Schaefer has done a lot of things, much of which doesn’t find its way into his state or campaign web pages.

Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2022 But thanks to a lot of hard work, good choices – and luck – our children will come into money.

Amy Dickinson, oregonlive, 29 Nov. 2022 But thanks to a lot of hard work, good choices – and luck – our children will come into money.

Amy Dickinson, Chicago Tribune, 29 Nov. 2022 But thanks to a lot of hard work, good choices — and luck — our children will come into money.

Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 29 Nov. 2022 There is a lot of outstanding talent involved, including the voices of Jessie Buckley, Olivia Colman, Jonathan Pryce, Johnny Flynn and Luke Evans as Scrooge, complaining his way through life while adeptly carrying a tune.

Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 29 Nov. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lot.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English lot, lott "object used to decide a matter by chance, decision by the use of such objects, what one receives through such a decision, destiny, share," going back to Old English hlot, going back to Germanic *hluta- (whence also Old Frisian hlot, lot "lot," Old High German hluz, Old Norse hlutr), noun derivative from a verb *hleutan- "to cast lots" (whence Old English hlēotan "to cast lots, obtain, gain as one's lot," Old Saxon hliotan "to obtain," Old High German liozan "to cast lots," Old Norse hjlóta "to get by lot, obtain, undergo"), of uncertain origin

Note: An o-grade ablaut derivative is evident in Old English hlȳt, hlīet "lot, share," Old Saxon hlōt, Old High German hlōz, Old Norse hlautr (conflated with a different word meaning "blood sacrifice"), Gothic hlauts. The Germanic verb has been compared with Lithuanian kliū́ti "to get caught on, bump into, hinder," kliudýti "to bump into, meet, hinder," Old Church Slavic ključiti sę "to happen, come to pass," but the proposed semantic connection is tenuous.

Verb

Middle English lotten, derivative of lot lot entry 1

Noun (2)

Hebrew Lōṭ

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1534, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of lot was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Phrases Containing lot

Cite this Entry

Style

“Lot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lot. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.

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Kids Definition

lot

noun

ˈlät

: an object used as a counter in determining a question by chance

: the use of lots as a means of deciding something

choose by lot

: the choice resulting from deciding by lot

: something that comes to one by or as if by lot

: one's course in life especially as decided by chance

: a piece or plot of land

owns the corner lot

a building lot

: a motion-picture studio and its surrounding property

: a number of articles offered (as at an auction) for sale as one item

: a number of associated persons : set

the lot that hangs around the arcade

: a large amount, quantity, or number

a lot of space

a lot of books

lots of food

had been there lots of times

Legal Definition

lot

noun

: a portion of land

specifically : a measured parcel of contiguous land having fixed boundaries and recorded (as on a plat) with the appropriate authority or office (as a registry of deeds)

: a single article, a number of units of an article, or a parcel of articles offered as one item (as in an auction sale)

specifically : a parcel or single article under the Uniform Commercial Code which is the subject matter of a separate sale, lease, or delivery whether or not it is sufficient to perform the contract see also odd lot, round lot