Definition of the word notch

The word "notch" derives from the Old English word "hnott," which means a small cut or mark made in wood. This term was likely coined by woodworkers and carpenters who created small indentations in the edges of wooden objects for various practical purposes, such as to hold or hang them. The word "notch" has been in use for centuries and has spread to other languages as well. In Old Norse, it was known as "hnutt," and in German, it is "Notze" or "Notzchen." In the modern English sense, "notch" still refers to these types of markings or indentations, whether in wood or other materials, as well as to the resulting shape or edge. More generally, "notch" also refers to a relative decrease, decrease in value, or decrease in level by comparison to a previous point, as in to "take a notch" or to "take a cut."