hotbed

American  

[hot-bed] / ˈhɒtˌbɛd /

noun

1. a bottomless, boxlike, usually glass-covered structure and the bed of earth it covers, heated typically by fermenting manure or electrical cables, for growing plants out of season.

2. a place or environment favoring rapid growth or spread, especially of something disliked or unwanted.

   a hotbed of disease.

3. Slang. a bed shared by two or more persons in shifts, each sleeping in it for or at a designated time and then vacating it for the next occupant.

---

verb (used without object)

hotbedded, hotbedding

1. Slang. to share a bed in shifts, so that it is always occupied.

hotbed British  

/ ˈhɒtˌbɛd /

noun

1. a glass-covered bed of soil, usually heated by fermenting material, used for propagating plants, forcing early vegetables, etc

2. a place offering ideal conditions for the growth of an idea, activity, etc, esp one considered bad

   a hotbed of insurrection

---

Etymology

Origin of hotbed

First recorded in 1620–30; hot + bed

Example Sentences

It's regarded as a hotbed of innovation and resides in the shadow of some of the most influential Big Tech companies on the planet, including many pioneers in the AI field.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026

Florida is known as a hotbed of talent.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

In the village of Tarlaguda, once a rebel hotbed, hopes are high that peace will bring change.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

Europe is widely regarded as a hotbed of quantum innovation.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Dr. King accepted Shuttlesworth’s invitation to come to Birmingham, a hotbed of racial violence—the city Dr. King called “the most segregated city in America.”

From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry

Related Words

• heart
• hub
• place