tot

The word "tot" often has a warm, slightly old-fashioned feel. Most often, it means a very young child. You might picture a little one walking around the room or playing with blocks. It can also mean a small amount of liquor, as in "a tot of rum" or "a tot of whiskey." In British English, it can also be linked to totals: the total itself, or the action in the phrase "tot up," which means to add numbers and find the final amount.

Think of it as a word that often points to small things or small amounts: a small child, a small drink, or a final amount made by adding small numbers together.

The word "tot" has a few different uses, and the meaning depends on context. Its most familiar meaning is a very young child. In this sense, it is affectionate and a little old-fashioned, often used when talking about a toddler or a small child in a gentle way. Someone might say, "The little tot ran across the garden," to create a warm picture of a young child.

"Tot" can also mean a small measured amount of liquor, especially rum or whiskey. This use appears in phrases like "a tot of rum." It suggests a modest serving rather than a full drink, and it is especially common in British usage and older writing.

Another meaning comes from "total." In informal British English, "tot" can mean the final sum, and the phrase "tot up" means to add figures together and work out the total. For example, "Can you tot up these receipts?" means "Can you add them up?" On its own, the verb is much less common than the phrase "tot up."

Across these uses, the word often carries the idea of something small or counted: a small child, a small drink, or numbers brought together into a final total. That shared feeling helps explain why the word can move between everyday family talk, drink-related phrases, and simple counting language.