divot

noun

div·​ot ˈdi-vət 

plural divots

1

Scotland : a square of turf or sod

2

: a loose piece of turf (such as one dug from a golf fairway in making a shot)

The caddies, I was solemnly assured, never replace a divot; they just sprinkle grass seed from a pouch they carry. Well, this is a myth, for I repeatedly saw caddies replace divots in the course of the tournament, with the care of tile-setters.

—John Updike

3

: a small dent : a small depression or hollow

… soft pastries of yeasted dough with a divot in the center, traditionally filled with sweetened cheese or fruit …

—John T. Edge

Examples of divot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One of the most popular pieces in the room was the sculptural Hollywood Hills resin coffee table with a 90-degree divot creating an angled space to prop open an art book. —Booth Moore, WWD, 21 Feb. 2025

Also all the extra ridges and divots just meant more places for gunk to get stuck in. —Wilder Davies, Bon Appétit, 6 Feb. 2025

The skis have fish-scale-like divots on the bottoms that grip the snow, similar to the ones on some cross-country skis. —Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 18 Dec. 2024

Featuring a soft sponge, high-density brush, and metal pen tip, it’s made to effortlessly clean earphones and AirPod cases, smartphone holes and divots, and camera lenses. —R29 Team, refinery29.com, 29 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier Scots devat, from Middle English (Scots) duvat

First Known Use

circa 1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for divot

• civet
• pivot
• privet
• rivet