Definition

1. Noun:
   • The ninth letter of the Greek alphabet (Ι, ι): The smallest letter in the Greek alphabet, often used symbolically to represent a very small thing.
   • An extremely small amount; a particle: Used to emphasize the smallest possible quantity or degree of something.

Usage and Examples

• As a Greek letter:
  • The word "biology" comes from the Greek words "bios" and "logos," which includes the letter iota.
• Meaning a tiny amount:
  • There isn't an iota of evidence to support that claim.
  • She didn't show an iota of fear during the entire ordeal.

Advanced Usage

• "Not one iota": A common idiom meaning "not even the smallest amount."
  • His story hasn't changed one iota since he first told it. (It hasn't changed at all.)
  • I don't care one iota about what they think. (I don't care at all.)

Variants and Related Words

• Iota subscript: A diacritical mark in Greek (ι) placed under a long vowel (alpha, eta, or omega) to indicate a historical /i/ sound that is no longer pronounced. This is a specialized linguistic term related to the Greek letter.

Synonyms

• Jot: A very small amount.
• Whit: The smallest part or particle imaginable.
• Scintilla: A tiny trace or spark.
• Mite: A very small amount or creature.

Idioms and Phrases

• Not one iota: Not even the smallest bit; not at all.
  • The contract's terms will not be altered one iota.

Noun

1. the 9th letter of the Greek alphabet
2. a tiny or scarcely detectable amount