blotter: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Neutral to Technical
Quick answer
What does “blotter” mean?
A piece of absorbent paper used to soak up or dry wet ink, especially from a fountain pen.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A piece of absorbent paper used to soak up or dry wet ink, especially from a fountain pen.
A book, pad, or sheet used to record daily notes, transactions, or events informally, especially by police (arrest blotter) or in business (stock ticker blotter).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Both refer to police record books and historical stationery.
Connotations
Neutral/administrative in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American English due to police procedural media.
Grammar
How to Use “blotter” in a Sentence
N of N (blotter of arrests)N for N (blotter for ink)N on the blotterVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “blotter” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The sergeant blotted the details in the station ledger.
American English
- The arrest was blotted in the precinct log.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Historical reference to a trader's notepad for recording stock prices.
Academic
Used in historical/legal studies discussing police record-keeping.
Everyday
Rare. Possibly understood in context of police TV shows.
Technical
Specific in law enforcement for the master record of arrests/complaints.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “blotter”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “blotter”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “blotter”
- Using 'blotter' for any notepad (it implies an official or absorbent function).
- Confusing 'blotter' with 'blotch'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Very rarely. The stationery item is largely obsolete, superseded by ballpoint pens and quick-drying inks.
A blotter often refers specifically to the chronological record of arrests/complaints as they come in. A 'log' can be more general.
Yes, though rare. It means to record in a blotter or to soak up with a blotter.
It is a standard, neutral term within its specific institutional contexts (law enforcement, historical business).
A piece of absorbent paper used to soak up or dry wet ink, especially from a fountain pen.
Blotter: in British English it is pronounced /ˈblɒtə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈblɑːt̬ɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on the blotter (recorded by police)”
- “hit the blotter (appear in police records)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BLOT of ink being soaked up by a BLOTTER, or a police officer BLOTting down notes.
Conceptual Metaphor
RECORDING IS ABSORBING (the blotter absorbs information like it absorbs ink).
Practice
Quiz
In a modern police context, a 'blotter' is primarily a...