To allot means to give out or distribute portions of something according to a plan. When a teacher allots 20 minutes for a quiz, she's setting aside that specific amount of time for that purpose. When a coach allots playing time among team members, he's dividing up the minutes so everyone gets a fair chance on the field.

The word suggests careful planning and fairness in how things get divided. You might allot money from your allowance for different purposes: some for saving, some for spending, some for giving. A cafeteria worker allots portions of food to each student. A project manager allots tasks to different team members based on their skills.

When you allot something, you're creating separate portions, whether it's time, resources, responsibilities, or space. The amount given to each person is called an allotment. If your family goes camping and each person gets an allotted space for their gear, that's the specific area assigned to them.