A slot is a narrow opening, especially in a machine, into which coins or other tokens are inserted. A slot in a schedule or program is a time when an activity can take place. He dropped a coin into the slot and dialed. The car seat belt slotted easily into place. To slot something into another is to put it into a space where it fits, as when he slotted the CD into the player. A slot in a game of chance is an area on the screen where a symbol can land. In the US, a slot is also a name for an area in front of a goal between the face-off circles on an ice hockey rink.
In computer science, a slot is the operation issue and data path machinery surrounding a set of one or more execution units (FU). In very long instruction word (VLIW) computers, the concept of a slot is often viewed as equivalent to an execute pipeline in other types of CPUs.
In football, a slot receiver is a wide receiver who lines up outside the tight end, or in the middle of the formation, on almost every play. These players are generally shorter and quicker than traditional wide receivers, making them a challenge for opposing defenses. As offenses continue to shift toward more spread formations, the importance of the slot receiver will increase.
The term ‘slot’ can also refer to a position on a football team or a specific position in the defensive backfield. A slot corner is typically required to cover both press and off-man coverage, which can be difficult because of the need to stay in contact with both defenders at the same time. Due to their unique skill sets, slot corners are often coveted by teams.