MOT

UK: /ˌɛməʊˈtiː/ US: (mō)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

MOT abbreviation

1. (in New Zealand and formerly in Britain) Ministry of Transport
2. (in Britain) MOT test: a compulsory annual test for all road vehicles over a certain age, which require a valid MOT certificate

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

-mot-, root. 

1. -mot- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "move.'' It is related to -mov-. This meaning is found in such words as: automobile, automotive, commotion, demote, demotion, emote, emotion, locomotive, motel, motif, motion, motivate, motive, motocross, motor, promote, promotion, remote.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

mot  (mō), n. 

1. a pithy or witty remark;
   bon mot.
2. [Archaic.] a note on a horn, bugle, etc.

• Late Latin muttum utterance. See motto
• French
• 1625–35

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

mot / məʊ/ noun

1. short for bon mot

Etymology: 16th Century: via French from Vulgar Latin mottum (unattested) utterance, from Latin muttum a mutter, from muttīre to mutter