hot spot

¹ American  

[hot-spot] / ˈhɒtˌspɒt /

Or hotspot

noun

1. a country or region where dangerous or difficult political situations exist or may erupt, especially where a war, revolution, or a belligerent attitude toward other countries exists or may develop.

   In the 1960s, Vietnam became a hot spot.

2. Informal. any area or place of known danger, intrigue, dissension, or instability.

3. Informal. a nightclub.

4. Photography. an area of a negative or print revealing excessive light on that part of the subject.

5. a section of forest or woods where fires frequently occur.

6. an area hotter than the surrounding surface, as on the shell of a furnace.

7. Digital Technology. a place where users of portable computers or mobile devices can get wireless broadband access to the internet or another network.

   how to find free Wi-Fi hot spots.

8. Physics. an area of abnormally high radioactivity.

9. Geology. a region of molten rock below and within the lithosphere that persists long enough to leave a record of uplift and volcanic activity at the earth's surface.

10. Genetics. a chromosome site or a section of DNA having a high frequency of mutation or recombination.

11. Veterinary Pathology. a moist, raw sore on the skin of a dog or cat caused by constant licking of an irritation from an allergic reaction, tangled coat, fleas, etc.

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hot-spot ² American  

[hot-spot] / ˈhɒtˌspɒt /

verb (used with object)

hot-spotted, hot-spotting

1. to stop (a forest fire) at a hot spot.

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hot spot British  

noun

1. an area of potential violence or political unrest

2. a lively nightclub or other place of entertainment

3. an area of great activity of a specific type

   the world's economic hot spots

4. 1. any local area of high temperature in a part of an engine, etc

   2. part of the inlet manifold of a paraffin engine that is heated by exhaust gases to vaporize the fuel

5. computing a place where wireless internet, esp broadband, services are provided to users of portable computers through a wireless local area network, such as in an airport, railway station, or library

6. med

   1. a small area on the surface of or within a body with an exceptionally high concentration of radioactivity or of some chemical or mineral considered harmful

   2. a similar area that generates an abnormal amount of heat, as revealed by thermography

7. genetics a part of a chromosome that has a tendency for mutation or recombination

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hot spot Scientific  

1. A volcanic area that forms as a tectonic plate moves over a point heated from deep within the Earth's mantle. The source of the heat is thought to be the decay of radioactive elements. The Hawaiian Islands formed as a series of hot spots.

2. See more at tectonic boundary

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hot spot Cultural  

1. A place deep within the Earth where hot magma rises to just underneath the surface, creating a bulge and volcanic activity (see volcano). The chain of Hawaiian Islands (see Hawaii) is thought to have been created by the movement of a tectonic plate over a hot spot.

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Etymology

Origin of hot spot¹

An Americanism dating back to 1925–30

Origin of hot-spot¹

First recorded in 1950–55; v. use of hot spot

Example Sentences

Los Angeles is a hot spot in a nationwide wave of copper thefts as prices for the metal sit near record highs, leaving telecommunications companies under siege.

From The Wall Street Journal

The scene focused on a debate about which hot spot bakery to get Maia’s birthday cake from — Milk Bar or Sweet Lady Jane.

From Los Angeles Times

At least one battalion chief assigned to the LAFD’s risk management section has known for months that crews had complained about hot spots after the Lachman fire.

From Los Angeles Times

The megaports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have experienced similar drops in traffic and are hot spots of labor tensions.

From Seattle Times

"It's likely to be a hot spot where these things will happen early," Hill said.

From Salon