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
In his State of the City address on Jan. 9, Adams announced his budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year, which starts July 1, will include $12.4 million in new funding to restore second shift cleanings at those 100 hot spots.
—
Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2025
The album earned Faithfull a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance and has built a devoted following over the years, not to mention a later-in-life career as a cabaret performer in such hot spots as New York’s Rainbow Room and Carnegie Hall.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2025
No injuries resulting from the explosion have been reported, but multiple residents say the rocket parts did land near homes and have washed up along beaches near tourist hot spots.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 30 Jan. 2025
Fire crews spent much of the day patrolling for any hot spots and picking up trash and hose from the fire line.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hot spot 
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Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2025
The album earned Faithfull a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance and has built a devoted following over the years, not to mention a later-in-life career as a cabaret performer in such hot spots as New York’s Rainbow Room and Carnegie Hall.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2025
No injuries resulting from the explosion have been reported, but multiple residents say the rocket parts did land near homes and have washed up along beaches near tourist hot spots.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 30 Jan. 2025
Fire crews spent much of the day patrolling for any hot spots and picking up trash and hose from the fire line.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hot spot
Dictionary Entries Near hot spot
Cite this Entry
“Hot spot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20spot. Accessed 13 Feb. 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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