spot

The word “spot” means a small mark or patch of a different color or texture on a surface. In plain terms, a mark, a place, a skin blemish, or to notice/support something.

“Spot” is pronounced spot (/spɑt/ in IPA).

Here is “spot” used in a sentence: “The dog had a black spot right over one eye.”

Words with a similar meaning to “spot” include catch sight of, clock, decern, descry, espy and goam.

Depending on how it is used, “spot” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “spot” comes from Old English. From Middle English spot, merging with Old English splott ("a patch of ground"), both related to the idea of a distinct small patch or mark.

“Spot” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Spot” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small mark or patch of a different color or texture on a surface.

A spot is simply a small mark or patch that differs in colour or texture from the surface around it. A stain is a discolouration that soaks into a material and is usually hard to remove. In short, most stains are spots, but a spot need not be a stain.

A dot is a small, usually round and deliberate mark, like the point over a letter 'i'. A spot is any small patch of different colour or texture, and it is often irregular in shape and accidental, such as a spot of grease or a spot on an animal's coat.

Common examples include the dark spots on a leopard or dalmatian, a spot of grease on a shirt, a rust spot on metal, or a spot of mould on a wall. In each case, it is a small area that stands out from the surface around it.

They overlap but are not identical. A blemish is any small flaw that spoils the appearance of something otherwise smooth or perfect, and a spot is one common kind of blemish. However, a spot can also be neutral or natural, like the spots on a ladybird, rather than a defect.