tot

tot — noun

1. a child so young that they are still learning to walk or have only recently begu

1.nounA2
Definition

a child so young that they are still learning to walk or have only recently begun walking

Example

Asher's little tot took her first steps across the living room floor today.

first steps / learning to walk

The tot at the playground waved happily at every stranger who walked past.

Common collocations
  • little tot
  • tiny tot
  • sleepy tot
  • sweet tot
Synonyms
  • toddler

    emphasises the walking stage more directly than 'tot'

  • little one

    more affectionate and informal, often used by parents

  • child

    broader age range; 'tot' is a subset of 'child'

  • infant

    more clinical; emphasises the first year of life

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

a/an + tot

possessive + tot

Usage Note

Often used as an affectionate or informal term. A 'tot' is younger than a 'child' but older than a 'newborn' — roughly the toddler stage.

Common Mistakes

Her tot is already ten years old.
Her child is already ten years old.
'tot' is only used for very young children, typically under three years old.

2. a single small serving of a strong spirit such as whisky or rum, typically drunk

2.nounB1
Definition

a single small serving of a strong spirit such as whisky or rum, typically drunk in one go

Example

Hamza poured himself a small tot of whisky after a long day.

tot of + [alcoholic drink]

The old fisherman asked the bartender for just a tot of rum.

Common collocations
  • tot of whisky
  • tot of rum
  • tot of brandy
  • tot of gin
Synonyms
  • shot

    the standard American term for a small serving of spirits

  • dram

    chiefly Scottish; a small measure of whisky

  • nip

    informal term for a small amount of alcohol

Grammar Patterns

a tot of + [alcoholic drink]

Usage Note

Primarily British English. In American English, 'shot' is more common for the same idea. A 'tot' is typically smaller than a full shot (roughly 25 ml).

Common Mistakes

I ordered a tot of beer.
I ordered a tot of whisky.
'tot' is used for strong spirits (whisky, rum, brandy, gin), not beer or wine.

tot — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to young humans, but they differ in age range and formality. 'Child' is the broadest term, covering anyone from baby to teenager, and is neutral in register. 'Toddler' is more specific — it describes a child aged roughly one to three who is learning to walk, so it overlaps closely with 'tot' but emphasises the walking stage rather than the small size. 'Kid' is informal and can cover the same broad age range as 'child', from early childhood into the teenage years; it lacks the affectionate softness of 'tot'. 'Infant' is clinical and refers to a baby in the first year of life, often in medical or legal contexts. For example, you would call a two-year-old a 'tot' affectionately at the park, but a doctor would refer to the same child as a 'toddler' or simply a 'child'.

child ↗toddler ↗kid ↗infant ↗

Common collocations

Prepositions

Etymology

Germanic dialectsEnglish

The origin of 'tot' is uncertain. It first appeared in English around the early 1700s meaning a small child, possibly from a dialect word for something small or round. By the 1800s, 'tot' had also come to mean a small amount of drink — perhaps from the idea of a small measure being 'totted up' (added up) or simply an extension of the 'small' sense. The verb meaning 'to add together' appeared in the 1800s as a shortening of 'total'.