OT
Abbreviation with 7 meanings
| Stands for | Overtime |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 7 |
| Categories | Sports, Medical, Religion, Science & Engineering, Texting & Internet Slang |
OT has seven meanings. The most common are Overtime (ice hockey) and Occupational therapist (healthcare credential); it can also stand for Occupational therapy, Old Testament, Offensive tackle, Operational technology and Off-topic.
Meanings of OT at a glance
| # | OT stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Overtime | Sports › Ice Hockey |
| 2 | Occupational therapist | Medical › Healthcare Credential |
| 3 | Occupational therapy | Medical › Rehabilitation |
| 4 | Old Testament | Religion › Religious Term |
| 5 | Offensive tackle | Sports › American Football |
| 6 | Operational technology | Science & Engineering › Engineering |
| 7 | Off-topic | Texting & Internet Slang › Social Media |
1. Overtime
Sports · Ice Hockey Abbreviations · also used in business
Extra period played when a game is tied at the end of regulation. In the NHL regular season it is five minutes of three-on-three sudden death followed by a shootout; playoff overtime continues with full 20-minute periods until someone scores.
Example: They won it in OT on a rebound goal 3:12 into the extra period.
Rules vary by sport: NBA overtime periods last five minutes, the NFL regular season uses a 10-minute period, and college football alternates possessions from the 25-yard line. The longest NHL game, in 1936, went six overtime periods. In other contexts OT means occupational therapy or the Old Testament.
2. Occupational therapist
Medical · Healthcare Credential Abbreviations
Licensed clinician who helps people perform everyday activities, such as self-care, work and play, after injury, illness or disability, through adaptive techniques, equipment and therapeutic activities. Entry requires a master's or doctoral degree and passing the NBCOT exam.
Example: Morgan Ellis, MS, OTR/L, hand therapy specialist.
Programs are accredited by ACOTE. OTs evaluate cognition, vision and home safety as well as physical function. Occupational therapy grew rapidly after World War I in rehabilitation of injured soldiers. In rehabilitation notes OT also refers to the therapy service itself.
3. Occupational therapy
Medical · Rehabilitation Abbreviations
Therapy service that helps people do the everyday activities they need and want to do, such as self-care, work, school and leisure, through retraining, adaptive equipment and environmental changes.
Example: OT eval: lower body dressing with reacher and sock aid, Min A.
OT addresses fine motor skills, cognition, vision, splinting and home safety as well as ADLs. The profession was founded in the United States in 1917. In credentials OT means the occupational therapist; in the Bible, OT also means Old Testament, and in sports overtime.
4. Old Testament
Religion · Religious Term Abbreviations
First part of the Christian Bible, corresponding to the Hebrew Bible, with 39 books in Protestant Bibles, 46 in Catholic Bibles and more in Eastern Orthodox Bibles. It covers creation, Israel's history, law, wisdom and prophecy.
Example: Our reading plan covers the OT in nine months and the New Testament in three.
Jewish readers call the same books the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible, and many scholars prefer "Hebrew Bible" as a neutral term. The Protestant and Jewish books are the same, though ordered differently. In medicine OT means occupational therapy, and in sports, overtime.
5. Offensive tackle
Sports · American Football Abbreviations
Lineman who plays at either end of the offensive line, outside the guards. Tackles face the opposing team's best pass rushers, and the left tackle protects a right-handed quarterback's blind side, making it one of the most valuable positions on the field.
Example: The Lions drafted an OT in the first round to protect their quarterback's blind side.
On depth charts tackles are usually listed as LT and RT. Michael Lewis's 2006 book The Blind Side, about tackle Michael Oher, popularized the left tackle's importance. On scoreboards and in game summaries OT nearly always means overtime instead, so context decides.
6. Operational technology
Science & Engineering · Engineering Abbreviations
Hardware and software that monitor and control physical equipment and processes, such as PLCs, SCADA, DCSs and safety systems in factories, utilities, pipelines and buildings. OT differs from information technology (IT), which handles data and business systems.
Example: The audit found that OT networks at the plant were not segmented from the corporate IT network.
IT/OT convergence, connecting plant systems to business networks and the cloud, brings efficiency but also cyber risk; standards such as IEC 62443 address OT security. OT priorities differ from IT: availability and safety come first, so patches may be delayed until planned shutdowns. In medicine OT means occupational therapy.
7. Off-topic
Texting & Internet Slang · Social Media Abbreviations
Labels a comment or post that departs from the main subject of a thread or channel, as in "OT: anyone know a good mechanic?" Common on forums, mailing lists and Discord servers.
Example: OT, but does anyone know if the downtown library is open Sunday?
Many forums have dedicated "OT" sections for off-topic chat. Moderators may remove OT posts in focused channels. In workplaces OT usually means overtime, and in sports it means overtime as well, so context matters.
Related abbreviations
More ice hockey abbreviations
- LTIR – Long-term injured reserve
- LW – Left wing
- NMC – No-movement clause
- NTC – No-trade clause
- OTL – Overtime losses
- PIM – Penalty minutes
- PK – Penalty kill
- PP – Power play
See all 36 ice hockey abbreviations →
More healthcare credential abbreviations
- NREMT – National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians
- NRP – Nationally Registered Paramedic
- OCN – Oncology Certified Nurse
- OD – Doctor of Optometry
- OTD – Doctor of Occupational Therapy
- OTR – Occupational Therapist, Registered
- OTR/L – Occupational Therapist, Registered, Licensed
- PA – Physician assistant
See all 122 healthcare credential abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.