notch

notch — noun

1. a small V-shaped indentation deliberately carved into a firm material such as wo

1.nounB1
Definition

a small V-shaped indentation deliberately carved into a firm material such as wood or metal, used to anchor a part or keep a tally

Example

Liang carved a small notch into the wooden handle to mark his favourite grip.

carve a notch + into [surface]

Ari used a knife to make a small notch in the stick so the string would not slip.

make a notch + in [object]

Common collocations
  • carve a notch
  • cut a notch
  • make a notch
  • notch in
  • notch on
  • deep notch
  • small notch
Synonyms
  • nick

    a smaller, accidental cut or chip, not deliberately made like a notch

  • groove

    a long, narrow channel cut into a surface, often straight rather than V-shaped

  • indentation

    more general term for any inward curve or hollow, not necessarily V-shaped or deliberate

Grammar Patterns

notch + in + [surface]

notch + on + [edge]

Usage Note

Countable noun. Often followed by in (for a surface) or on (for an edge). The same word is also used as a verb — see the verb entry below.

2. a natural V-shaped hollow or indentation on a bone or at the edge of an organ, o

2.nounC1
Definition

a natural V-shaped hollow or indentation on a bone or at the edge of an organ, often serving as a passage point for nerves or blood vessels

Example

The doctor pointed at the notch on the patient's hip bone during the X-ray review.

notch on a bone — anatomical sense

A small notch near the top of the thigh bone serves as an anchor for a muscle.

Common collocations
  • notch on
  • notch of
  • V-shaped notch
  • small notch
  • deep notch
  • bone notch
  • vertebral notch
Synonyms
  • indentation

    less specific; any inward curve on a surface, not limited to anatomical structures

  • fossa

    a broader, bowl-shaped depression in a bone; more specific anatomical term than notch

Grammar Patterns

notch + on + [body part]

notch + of + [bone]

Usage Note

Technical anatomical term. Distinguish from sense 1: a body-part notch is a natural feature, not a deliberate cut. Frequently used with the preposition on (not in) — e.g. the notch on the skull, not in the skull.

Common Mistakes

The surgeon cut a notch in the patient's bone.
The surgeon identified the notch on the patient's bone.
Sense 2 refers to a natural anatomical feature, not an artificial cut.

3. an imaginary step or point on a scale of quality, ability, amount, or intensity,

3.nounB1
Definition

an imaginary step or point on a scale of quality, ability, amount, or intensity, where moving higher means improvement or increase

Example

After six months of practice, Nora's piano playing moved up a notch.

up a notch — idiomatic collocation for improvement

The hotel was a notch above the others, with marble floors and fresh flowers.

a notch above — comparative pattern

Common collocations
  • up a notch
  • down a notch
  • a notch above
  • several notches better
  • take it up a notch
  • move up a notch
  • turn down a notch
Synonyms
  • level

    more general and formal; works in wider contexts (e.g. 'next level', 'level of difficulty')

  • rung

    metaphor from a ladder; suggests progression in a career or hierarchy

  • grade

    implies a classification by quality or standard, often used in schools or products

  • step

    neutral; one stage in a sequence or process

Grammar Patterns

up a notch

down a notch

a notch above [something]

notch + comparative

Usage Note

Almost always used in fixed comparative phrases: up a notch (improve), down a notch (reduce), a notch above (superior to), several notches better/worse than (much better/worse). Rarely used alone — 'a notch on the scale' is acceptable but less natural than the set phrases.

Common Mistakes

His score was a notch.
His score was a notch above average.
The set phrase needs the comparison; 'a notch' alone sounds incomplete.
Take it to the next notch.
Take it up a notch.' or 'Take it to the next level.
'Notch' follows 'up/down/a notch above'; 'next level' is a different pattern.

4. a narrow gap or low point between two mountain peaks, forming a path or passage

4.nounC1
Definition

a narrow gap or low point between two mountain peaks, forming a path or passage through a ridge

Example

The hikers stopped for water at the narrow notch between the two peaks.

narrow notch between [mountains] — geographic sense

A cold wind blew through the rocky notch that connected the valley to the coast.

Common collocations
  • narrow notch
  • notch between
  • notch in the ridge
  • rocky notch
  • steep notch
  • mountain notch
Synonyms
  • pass

    a wider, more commonly used route through mountains; more general than notch

  • gap

    a general term for any opening between mountains, often wider than a notch

  • col

    the lowest point on a mountain ridge between two peaks; technical synonym

Grammar Patterns

notch + between + [mountains]

notch + in + [ridge]

Usage Note

Geographic term, less common in everyday speech. Distinguish from 'pass' or 'col' which are wider and more commonly used for named routes through mountains. 'Notch' suggests a particularly narrow, steep-sided opening.

notch — verb

Word family

  • notched
    adjectiveB1
  • notching
    nounC1
  • notchy
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/3

All five words describe a position on a scale, but they differ in metaphor and formality. Notch (informal, countable) suggests small, distinct steps — you move up or down one notch at a time. Level (neutral, very common) works in the widest range of contexts, from gaming ('level 5') to education ('reading level') to formality ('at the highest level'). Grade implies classification by quality or standard, common in schools ('grade A') and product ratings. Rung derives from a ladder metaphor and usually describes stages in a career or hierarchy ('the lowest rung of the company'). Rank refers to official position in an ordered system, especially military or academic ('the rank of captain'). If you want to say a restaurant is slightly better than its competitors, use a notch above. For describing a fixed classification system, use grade or rank.

notch ↗level ↗grade ↗rungrank ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • up a notch
  • down a notch
  • a notch above
  • several notches better
  • notch in the belt

Prepositions

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

The word 'notch' likely comes from the French word 'oche', meaning a cut or indentation. In Old French, you might say 'une oche' (a notch). When English speakers adopted it, they misheard 'une oche' as 'a notch' — the same process that turned 'a napron' into 'an apron'. The figurative meaning, referring to a level or grade, appeared in the 1500s, extending the idea of a physical mark on a measuring stick into an abstract step on a scale.