Meanings
nounplot (plural plots)
plural plots
- human sciencesThe course of a story, comprising a series of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means.First known use 1640s
If the plot or intrigue must be natural, and such as springs from the subject, then the winding up of the plot must be a probable consequence of all that went before.
c. 1725, Alexander Pope, View of the Epic PoemSynonyms: storyline
- A grave.
He's buried in the family plot.
- A ground plan, map; a nautical chart.
- A synopsis of a literary work.
- A graph or diagram drawn by hand or produced by a mechanical or electronic device.
I was told to fly out on a vector of 100 degrees to meet a strong plot of aircraft 30 miles from the coast.
2017, Mark Chambers, Tony Holmes, Nakajima B5N ‘Kate’ and B6N ‘Jill’ Units, page 32Synonyms: scheme, chart, design, diagram, map, graph, graphic, plan
- A secret plan to achieve an end, the end or means usually being illegal or otherwise questionable.First known use 1580s
The assassination of Lincoln was part of a larger plot.
3 more examples
The plot would have enabled them to get a majority on the board.
I have o'erheard a plot of death.
c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene vi]O, think what anxious moments pass between / The birth of plots and their last fatal periods!
1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene iii, page 8Synonyms: conspiracy, intrigue, machination, scheme
- Contrivance; deep reach thought; ability to plot or intrigue.
a man of much plot
a. 1669, John Denham, On Mr Thomas Killigrew's Return from Venice, and Mr William Murrey's from Scotland - Participation in any stratagem or conspiracy.
And when Christ saith, Who marries the divorced commits adultery, it is to be understood, if he had any plot in the divorce.
1643, J[ohn] M[ilton], The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce: […], London: […] T[homas] P[aine] and M[atthew] S[immons] […], →OCLC - euphemisticslanglifestyleAttractive physical attributes of a fictional character; assets.
Actor X has some great plot near the end of E07.
verbplot (third-person singular simple present plots, present participle plotting, simple past and past participle plotted)
present singular third person plots · participle present plotting · participle past plotted · past plotted
- transitiveTo trace out (a graph or diagram).
They plotted the number of edits per day.
Synonyms: becast
- transitiveTo mark (a point on a graph, chart, etc).
Every five minutes they plotted their position.
1 more example
This treatise plotteth down Cornwall as it now standeth.
1602, Richard Carew, Survey on Cornwall
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe course of a story, comprising a series of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means.
Similar
nounAn area or land used for building on or planting on.
Similar
nounA graph or diagram drawn by hand or produced by a mechanical or electronic device.
nounA secret plan to achieve an end, the end or means usually being illegal or otherwise questionable.
verbTo conceive (a crime, misdeed etc).
Similar
verbTo trace out (a graph or diagram).
Similar
an area of land
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More synonyms by meaning
nouna secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)
Similar
secret plangame
nouna small area of ground covered by specific vegetation
Similar
Broader
verbmake a schematic or technical drawing that shows interactions among variables or how something is constructed
Similar
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Germanic*plataz
- Old Englishplot“a plot of ground”
- Middle Englishplot
- Englishplot
From Middle English plot, plotte, from late Old English plot (“a plot of ground”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Proto-Germanic *plataz, *platjaz (“a patch”); or alternatively, perhaps from a rebracketing of Old English land-splott (“small portion, or plot, of ground”) taken as landes-plot (“plot of land”). Compare Middle Low German plet (“patch, strip of cloth, rags”), German Bletz (“rags, bits, strip of land”), and possibly Gothic 𐍀𐌻𐌰𐍄 (plat, “a patch, rags”). See also plat. See also complot for an influence and reinforcement of noun sense 8. Noun sense 12 is a back-formation from for the plot.
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans intrige, hoewe
- intrigecourse of a story
- hoewearea of land used for building on or planting on
- perseelarea of land used for building on or planting on
- terreinarea of land used for building on or planting on
- diagramgraph or diagram
- grafiekgraph or diagram
- komplotsecret plan to achieve an end
Ancient Greek μῦθος, χωρίον
- μῦθος (mûthos)course of a story
- χωρίον (khōríon)area of land used for building on or planting on
- πρασιά (prasiá)area of land used for building on or planting on
- ἐπιβουλή (epiboulḗ)secret plan to achieve an end
- ἐπιβουλεύω (epibouleúō)transitive: to conceive
- ἐπιβουλεύω (epibouleúō)intransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
Arabic حَبْكَة, مُؤَامَرَة
- حَبْكَة (ḥabka)course of a story
- مُؤَامَرَة (muʔāmara)secret plan to achieve an end
- مَكِيدَة (makīda)participation in any stratagem or conspiracy
- كَادَ (kāda)intransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
Bulgarian сюже́т, фа́була
- сюже́т (sjužét)course of a story
- фа́була (fábula)course of a story
- парце́л (parcél)area of land used for building on or planting on
- гра́фика (gráfika)graph or diagram
- диагра́ма (diagráma)graph or diagram
- интри́га (intríga)secret plan to achieve an end
- за́говор (zágovor)secret plan to achieve an end
- план (plan)plan; purpose
- заговорнича (zagovorniča)intransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- чертая (čertaja)to trace out a graph or diagram
- нанасям (nanasjam)to mark a point on a graph
Catalan argument, trama
- argumentcourse of a story
- tramacourse of a story
- marjal (per plantar-hi)area of land used for building on or planting on
- terrenyarea of land used for building on or planting on
- gràficagraph or diagram
- traçadagraph or diagram
- complotsecret plan to achieve an end
- conspiraciósecret plan to achieve an end
- planejartransitive: to conceive
- conspirarintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- traçarto trace out a graph or diagram
- marcarto mark a point on a graph
Chinese 陰謀 /阴谋, 密謀 /密谋
- 陰謀 /阴谋 (yīnmóu)secret plan to achieve an end
- 密謀 /密谋 (mìmóu)secret plan to achieve an end
Chinese Mandarin 情節 /情节, 劇情 /剧情
- 情節 /情节 (qíngjié)course of a story
- 劇情 /剧情 (jùqíng)course of a story
- 陰謀 /阴谋 (yīnmóu)transitive: to conceive
- 密謀 /密谋 (mìmóu)transitive: to conceive
Czech obsah, děj
- obsahcourse of a story
- dějcourse of a story
- syžetcourse of a story
- parcelaarea of land used for building on or planting on
- pozemekarea of land used for building on or planting on
- nákresgraph or diagram
- výkresgraph or diagram
- spiknutísecret plan to achieve an end
- komplotsecret plan to achieve an end
Danish handling, komplot
- handlingcourse of a story
- komplotsecret plan to achieve an end
Dutch plot, intrige
- plotcourse of a story
- intrigecourse of a story
- verhaalcourse of a story
- perceelarea of land used for building on or planting on
- terreinarea of land used for building on or planting on
- plotgraph or diagram
- diagramgraph or diagram
- grafiekgraph or diagram
- complotsecret plan to achieve an end
- samenzweringsecret plan to achieve an end
- bedenkentransitive: to conceive
- beramentransitive: to conceive
- plottento trace out a graph or diagram
Esperanto agado, bedo
- agadocourse of a story
- bedoarea of land used for building on or planting on
- terpecoarea of land used for building on or planting on
- komplotosecret plan to achieve an end
- intrigosecret plan to achieve an end
- intrigiintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
Estonian süžee, sündmustik
- süžeecourse of a story
- sündmustikcourse of a story
Finnish juoni, tontti
- juonicourse of a story
- tonttiarea of land used for building on or planting on
- palstaarea of land used for building on or planting on
- kuviograph or diagram
- käyrägraph or diagram
- juonisecret plan to achieve an end
- salajuonisecret plan to achieve an end
- salahankesecret plan to achieve an end
- juonikkuusability to plot or intrigue
- juonitteluparticipation in any stratagem or conspiracy
- juoniplan; purpose
- juoniatransitive: to conceive
- suunnitellatransitive: to conceive
- juonitellaintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- vehkeilläintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- punoa juoniaintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- tulostaato trace out a graph or diagram
- plotatato trace out a graph or diagram
- piirtää käyräto trace out a graph or diagram
- piirtääto trace out a graph or diagram
- merkitäto mark a point on a graph
French intrigue, lopin
- intriguecourse of a story
- lopinarea of land used for building on or planting on
- terrainarea of land used for building on or planting on
- diagrammegraph or diagram
- graphiquegraph or diagram
- complotsecret plan to achieve an end
- complotertransitive: to conceive
- conspirerintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- tracerto trace out a graph or diagram
- marquerto mark a point on a graph
German Handlung, Plot
- Handlungcourse of a story
- Plotcourse of a story
- Grundstückarea of land used for building on or planting on
- Parzellearea of land used for building on or planting on
- Ausdruckgraph or diagram
- Zeichnunggraph or diagram
- Komplottsecret plan to achieve an end
- planentransitive: to conceive
- ausarbeitentransitive: to conceive
- entwerfentransitive: to conceive
- plottento trace out a graph or diagram
- eintragento mark a point on a graph
- einzeichnento mark a point on a graph
- festhaltento mark a point on a graph
Greek πλοκή, αγροτεμάχιο
- πλοκή (plokí)course of a story
- αγροτεμάχιο (agrotemáchio)area of land used for building on or planting on
- συνωμοσία (synomosía)secret plan to achieve an end
Hebrew עֲלִילָה, חֶלְקָה
- עֲלִילָה ('alilá)course of a story
- חֶלְקָה (ẖelqá)area of land used for building on or planting on
- תַּרְשִׁים (tarshím)graph or diagram
- קְנוּנִיָה (knuniyá)secret plan to achieve an end
Hindi कथानक, भूखंड
- कथानक (kathānak)course of a story
- भूखंड (bhūkhaṇḍ)area of land used for building on or planting on
- षड्यंत्र (ṣaḍyantra)secret plan to achieve an end
Hungarian történet, cselekmény
- történetcourse of a story
- cselekménycourse of a story
- földdarabarea of land used for building on or planting on
- telekarea of land used for building on or planting on
- parcellaarea of land used for building on or planting on
- kiterveltransitive: to conceive
- összeesküszikintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- ábrázolto trace out a graph or diagram
- megjelölto mark a point on a graph
- jelezto mark a point on a graph
Icelandic ráðabrugg, reitur
- ráðabruggcourse of a story
- reiturarea of land used for building on or planting on
- skikiarea of land used for building on or planting on
- bletturarea of land used for building on or planting on
- lóðarea of land used for building on or planting on
- teikninggraph or diagram
- grafgraph or diagram
- brugga launráðtransitive: to conceive
- kortleggjato trace out a graph or diagram
Indonesian alur
- alurcourse of a story
Irish ceapach, marcáil
- ceapacharea of land used for building on or planting on
- marcáilto trace out a graph or diagram
- grafto trace out a graph or diagram
- marcáilto mark a point on a graph
- grafto mark a point on a graph
Italian trama, ordito
- tramacourse of a story
- orditocourse of a story
- schemacourse of a story
- canovacciocourse of a story
- intrigocourse of a story
- lottoarea of land used for building on or planting on
- parcellaarea of land used for building on or planting on
- appezzamentoarea of land used for building on or planting on
- trattoarea of land used for building on or planting on
- pezzoarea of land used for building on or planting on
- graficograph or diagram
- diagrammagraph or diagram
- complottaretransitive: to conceive
- ordiretransitive: to conceive
- macchinaretransitive: to conceive
- congiuraretransitive: to conceive
- tramaretransitive: to conceive
- cospiraretransitive: to conceive
- pianificaretransitive: to conceive
- intrigaretransitive: to conceive
- tesseretransitive: to conceive
- orchestraretransitive: to conceive
- architettaretransitive: to conceive
- fare la frondatransitive: to conceive
Japanese プロット, 筋
- プロット (purotto)course of a story
- 筋 (suji)course of a story
- 陰謀 (inbō)secret plan to achieve an end
- 企み (takurami)secret plan to achieve an end
Korean 플롯, 구성
- 플롯 (peullot)course of a story
- 구성 (guseong)course of a story
- 토지 (toji)area of land used for building on or planting on
- 그래프 (geuraepeu)graph or diagram
- 도표 (dopyo)graph or diagram
- 음모 (eummo)secret plan to achieve an end
Latin argumentum, coniūrātiō
- argumentumcourse of a story
- coniūrātiōsecret plan to achieve an end
- insidiaesecret plan to achieve an end
- coniūrōtransitive: to conceive
- contechnortransitive: to conceive
Latvian sižets
- sižetscourse of a story
Māori tāhū, ngakinga
- tāhūcourse of a story
- ngakingaarea of land used for building on or planting on
- pito whenuaarea of land used for building on or planting on
- karasecret plan to achieve an end
- kōrero kaioraorasecret plan to achieve an end
- kaikaiwaiūsecret plan to achieve an end
- takeplan; purpose
- whakangārahutransitive: to conceive
- kakaitransitive: to conceive
- whakatakoto karaintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- kakaiintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- whakangārahuintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
Norwegian Bokmål intrige, plott
- intrigecourse of a story
- plottcourse of a story
- handlingcourse of a story
- komplottsecret plan to achieve an end
- sammensvergelsesecret plan to achieve an end
Polish fabuła, sjużet
- fabułacourse of a story
- sjużetcourse of a story
- działkaarea of land used for building on or planting on
- areałarea of land used for building on or planting on
- rolaarea of land used for building on or planting on
- wykresgraph or diagram
- spiseksecret plan to achieve an end
Portuguese argumento, trama
- argumentocourse of a story
- tramacourse of a story
- enredocourse of a story
- intrigacourse of a story
- lotearea of land used for building on or planting on
- terrenoarea of land used for building on or planting on
- diagramagraph or diagram
- gráficograph or diagram
- complôsecret plan to achieve an end
- concebertransitive: to conceive
- tramarintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- traçarto trace out a graph or diagram
- marcarto mark a point on a graph
Romanian subiect, complot
- subiectcourse of a story
- complotsecret plan to achieve an end
- urzitransitive: to conceive
Russian сюже́т, фа́була
- сюже́т (sjužét)course of a story
- фа́була (fábula)course of a story
- наде́л (nadél)area of land used for building on or planting on
- деля́нка (deljánka)area of land used for building on or planting on
- уча́сток (učástok)area of land used for building on or planting on
- гра́фик (gráfik)graph or diagram
- диагра́мма (diagrámma)graph or diagram
- за́говор (zágovor)secret plan to achieve an end
- сго́вор (sgóvor)secret plan to achieve an end
- интри́га (intríga)secret plan to achieve an end
- замышля́ть (zamyšljátʹ)transitive: to conceive
- замы́слить (zamýslitʹ)transitive: to conceive
- злоумышля́ть (zloumyšljátʹ)intransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- устра́ивать за́говор (ustráivatʹ zágovor)intransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- плести́ интри́ги (plestí intrígi)intransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- черти́ть (čertítʹ)to trace out a graph or diagram
- начерти́ть (načertítʹ)to trace out a graph or diagram
- отмеча́ть (otmečátʹ)to mark a point on a graph
- отме́тить (otmétitʹ)to mark a point on a graph
Scottish Gaelic gnìomhadh
- gnìomhadhcourse of a story
Slovak sujet, dej
- sujetcourse of a story
- dejcourse of a story
- spiknutiesecret plan to achieve an end
- komplotsecret plan to achieve an end
Spanish argumento, trama
- argumentocourse of a story
- tramacourse of a story
- hilo argumentalcourse of a story
- intrigacourse of a story
- solararea of land used for building on or planting on
- fincaarea of land used for building on or planting on
- conucoarea of land used for building on or planting on
- predioarea of land used for building on or planting on
- baldíoarea of land used for building on or planting on
- chacraarea of land used for building on or planting on
- chagraarea of land used for building on or planting on
- cortinalarea of land used for building on or planting on
- tramartransitive: to conceive
- maquinartransitive: to conceive
- tramarintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- complotarintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- complotarseintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- contlapachearseintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- trazarto trace out a graph or diagram
Swahili njama
- njamasecret plan to achieve an end
Swedish handling, intrig
- handlingcourse of a story
- intrigcourse of a story
- tomtarea of land used for building on or planting on
- komplottsecret plan to achieve an end
- sammansvärjningsecret plan to achieve an end
- konspireraintransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
Tagalog tunton, tuntunin
- tuntongraph or diagram
- tuntuninto trace out a graph or diagram
- tuntuninto mark a point on a graph
Thai โครงเรื่อง, ที่ดิน
- โครงเรื่อง (kroong-rʉ̂ʉang)course of a story
- ที่ดิน (tîi-din)area of land used for building on or planting on
- แปลง (bplɛɛng)area of land used for building on or planting on
- แผนผัง (pɛ̌ɛn-pǎng)graph or diagram
- แผนการ (pɛ̌ɛn-gaan)secret plan to achieve an end
- อุบาย (ù-baai)secret plan to achieve an end
- คบคิดtransitive: to conceive
- พล็อต (plɔ́t)to trace out a graph or diagram
- พล็อต (plɔ́t)to mark a point on a graph
Turkish olay örgüsü, arsa
- olay örgüsücourse of a story
- arsaarea of land used for building on or planting on
- komplosecret plan to achieve an end
Ukrainian сюже́т, фа́була
- сюже́т (sjužét)course of a story
- фа́була (fábula)course of a story
- ділянка (diljanka)area of land used for building on or planting on
- змо́ва (zmóva)secret plan to achieve an end
- зго́вір (zhóvir)secret plan to achieve an end
- змовля́тися (zmovljátysja)intransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
- змо́витися (zmóvytysja)intransitive: to conceive a crime or misdeed
Vietnamese cốt truyện
- cốt truyệncourse of a story
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with plot
nothotgotlotshotScottspotdotslotpotwattscreenshotyachttotMontserratknotMayottemotrotcotswatapricotscotblot
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
plot. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plot
MLA
“plot.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plot. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “plot,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plot.
Source: plot on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.