Jottings: meaning, definitions and examples

Use this term for informal and quick notes made spontaneously. Suitable when mentioning brief, unorganized writings.

• She looked through her jottings from the meeting to remember the main points.
• His jottings were scattered all over his desk.

A general term that can be used in any context for recorded information, often well-organized, either informal or formal.

• She took thorough notes during the lecture to study later.
• He left a note on the fridge reminding her about the appointment.

Used for chaotic, often messy or illegible writing. It has a slight negative connotation, implying lack of care or neatness.

• The child’s scribbles were all over the drawing paper.
• His hurried scribbles were hard to decipher.

Appropriate for formal or academic contexts where one is adding comments or explanations to a text, often to clarify or give additional information.

• The professor's annotations in the book helped me understand the complex concepts.
• He spent hours creating annotations for the manuscript.

Informal notes, quick writings or scribbles used to capture fleeting thoughts or ideas.

• She reviewed her jottings from the meeting to ensure she didn't miss any key points.
• His travel jottings provided a detailed account of his journey.

Quick, rough drawings capturing the essence or basic outline of a subject, often used as a preliminary step before creating a more detailed artwork.

• The artist made several sketches before starting the final painting.
• She carried a small notebook to make quick sketches of interesting scenes.

Casual drawings or scribbles, often done absentmindedly or for fun, typically in the margins of a notebook during meetings or classes.

• She filled the margins of her notebook with little doodles while listening to the lecture.
• The artist's sketchbook was filled with random doodles and imaginative figures.

More refined and detailed illustrations, often created with a specific purpose or intention. These are typically finished pieces of art or blueprints.

• The children displayed their drawings at the school art fair.
• The architect presented detailed drawings of the new building complex.