A slot is an empty position within a group, series, or sequence of things. A slot can also refer to a position of employment or an area of responsibility in an organization. In aviation, a slot is an area of the wing or tail surface that can be opened to provide a flow of air to a control device such as an aileron or flap. The term slot can also refer to a specific slot in a computer file system.
Originally, the slot machine was a mechanical apparatus that allowed players to win credits based on a predetermined pattern of symbols arranged in rows and columns on the reels. Currently, the slot machine is an electronic device that accepts paper tickets with barcodes or cash and rewards players with credits based on a predetermined paytable. The slot machine’s symbols vary by game, but classic symbols include stylized lucky sevens and fruit. Most slot games have a theme, and the symbols and bonus features are aligned with that theme.
In computer science, a slot is a place in the operation issue and data path machinery where a functional unit can be scheduled to execute instructions. It is a key concept in very long instruction word (VLIW) computers, and is similar to the pipeline concept used in dynamically-scheduled machines. A slot is often referred to as a buffer in some environments.
Slots can also be used to describe positions in sports and other activities. For example, in football, a slot receiver is the third string wide receiver who plays on passing downs. A slot player is typically faster than a tight end, but may not be as tall or strong as a fullback or running back.
The word slot is derived from the Latin verb sliti, which means to split or cut. It has been used in English for more than 1000 years. The first recorded use of the phrase was in 1340, when it referred to an opening in an armor or helmet. Since then, the meaning of the word has expanded to include any vacancy or gap in a group, series, or sequence. The word has also been shortened to simply slots, which is the common spelling today. The slot> HTML element is part of the Web Components technology suite. It enables you to add a container for child elements, such as an unordered list or an ordered list, that will hold and display the element’s content. This is an alternative to the ul> and li> tags. The slot> element is available in all browsers that support Web Components, including Safari and Internet Explorer. It is not supported in Microsoft Edge or Firefox. The slot> element has a number of attributes that are not available in the standard HTML ul> and li> elements. These attributes are described below.