mot
pronunciation
How to pronounce mot in British English:
UK 
How to pronounce mot in American English:
US
-
- Noun:
- a clever remark
Word Origin
- mot (n.)
- "a witty saying," 1580s, from French mot (12c.) "remark, short speech," literally "word," cognate of Italian motto, from Latin mutum "grunt, murmur" (see mutter). Mot juste (1912) is French, literally "exact word," the precisely appropriate expression in some situation.The mot juste is an expression which readers would like to buy of writers who use it, as one buys one's neighbour's bantam cock for the sake of hearing its voice no more. [Fowler]
Example
- 1. Can a robot interject a witticism or bon mot that adroitly lightens the mood ?
- 2. How can one implement a mot when a chip surface gets in the way ?
- 3. Elon musk is not , to paraphrase james watson 's bon mot about francis crick , a man given to modest moods .
- 4. My ideal ceo mot would be done by the board , by the chief executive himself , and by his pa who knows him better than anyone .
- 5. In addition to the annual test there would be a system whereby any statements of exceptional hubris would cause an immediate mot failure .