The Meaning of Slot in Computer Science

The word “slot” has various meanings in computer science. It can refer to a planned operation or an authorization to take off or land at a particular airport. The term “slot” is often used in VLIW systems. This is because the relationship between an operation in an instruction and the pipeline to execute it is implicit or explicit. For example, the chief copy editor of a newspaper may have a slot in the copy desk. It can also refer to a job position at a gazette.

A slot is a recess or hole that accepts a piece for sliding into. Its origins are Middle Dutch and Low German, and it is a synonym of Old Norse slot, Old High German sloz, and Old Frisian slut. It is derived from the Proto-Germanic root *slut “to close” and the PIE root *klau “hook.” Besides being a word for a hole, the term slot can also be used to describe a track left by a wounded deer, a’slot’.

There are two distinct types of slots. The deep slot is the area most distant from the goaltender. Offside wingers guard players positioned in the deep slot. The defensive side of the team guards these players, while the offensive winger hovers in the deep slot for scoring opportunities. In the deep slot, a forward can be found hovering in a space in the center of the ice, guarding the slot and looking for scoring opportunities.