hot spot
noun
variants
or less commonly hotspot
plural hot spots also hotspots
1
: a place of more than usual interest, activity, or popularity
birding hot spots
2
: a place in the upper mantle of the earth at which hot magma from the lower mantle upwells to melt through the crust usually in the interior of a tectonic plate to form a volcanic feature
also
: a place in the crust overlying a hot spot
3
a
: an area of political, military, or civil unrest usually considered dangerous
global hot spots
b
: a place or area (such as a city or region of a country) where there is an elevated prevalence or increased transmission risk of a disease
The city became a COVID-19 hot spot.
4
: a place where a wireless Internet connection is available
5
: an inflamed patch of moist infected skin on a domestic animal and especially a dog
Examples of hot spot in a Sentence
The new restaurant is the latest hot spot in town.
This part of the country is a hot spot of rebel activity.
Recent Examples on the Web
Shoreditch Set in gritty but trendy East London, Shoreditch is a hot spot for young creatives; it’s filled with street art, talked-about restaurants, and nightlife.
—
Nicole Trilivas, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2025
Together the three bodies of water create the Jupiter Inlet, a hot spot for boating activity and the backdrop for a lively Riverwalk that’s dotted with retail shops, waterfront restaurants, and places to hop aboard for a sunset cruise.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2025
For years, the area surrounding the Shell gas station in between Vine and Walnut streets has been a hot spot for criminal activity.
—Aaron Valdez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 Sep. 2025
The Big Hug Hospitality team behind hot spots like Mimi Chinese in Yorkville and Sunnys Chinese in Kensington Market opened Linny’s last year on the Ossington strip, a nostalgic throwback to an old-school, deli-adjacent steakhouse.
—Gizelle Lau, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hot spot
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Nicole Trilivas, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2025
Together the three bodies of water create the Jupiter Inlet, a hot spot for boating activity and the backdrop for a lively Riverwalk that’s dotted with retail shops, waterfront restaurants, and places to hop aboard for a sunset cruise.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2025
For years, the area surrounding the Shell gas station in between Vine and Walnut streets has been a hot spot for criminal activity.
—Aaron Valdez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 Sep. 2025
The Big Hug Hospitality team behind hot spots like Mimi Chinese in Yorkville and Sunnys Chinese in Kensington Market opened Linny’s last year on the Ossington strip, a nostalgic throwback to an old-school, deli-adjacent steakhouse.
—Gizelle Lau, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hot spot
Cite this Entry
“Hot spot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20spot. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
hot spot
noun
variants
also hotspot
1
: a patch of painful moist inflamed skin on a domestic animal and especially a dog that starts as a response to a skin irritant (as an allergen or an insect or tick bite), that is rapidly worsened by scratching, chewing, or licking the affected area, and that may become seriously infected if not promptly cleaned and medicated
2
: a place or area (as a city or region of a country) where there is an elevated prevalence or an increased transmission risk of a disease (as cholera, diabetes, or malaria)
3
: a site in genetic material (as DNA or a chromosome) having a high frequency of mutation or recombination
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