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
Most people wouldn’t immediately think of EV charging stations as hot spots for community.
—
Andrew Cornelia, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024
Big differences exist on two current hot spots: Ukraine and the Middle East including Iran.
—Anna Mulrine Grobe, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2024
The team has isolated three lynx population hot spots: Munellë and the Valamara region, both in Albania, and Mavrovo National Park in North Macedonia.
—Emily Soreghan, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Oct. 2024
Zoom in: Miami, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Toronto and Vancouver have turned into hot spots for fall getaways because of the tour, according to trends from American Airlines bookings.
—Kelly Tyko, Axios, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hot spot 
Andrew Cornelia, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024
Big differences exist on two current hot spots: Ukraine and the Middle East including Iran.
—Anna Mulrine Grobe, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2024
The team has isolated three lynx population hot spots: Munellë and the Valamara region, both in Albania, and Mavrovo National Park in North Macedonia.
—Emily Soreghan, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Oct. 2024
Zoom in: Miami, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Toronto and Vancouver have turned into hot spots for fall getaways because of the tour, according to trends from American Airlines bookings.
—Kelly Tyko, Axios, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hot spot
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hot spot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 4 Nov. 2024.
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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