hot

The word “hot” means having or giving off a high temperature. In plain terms, having a high temperature — and by extension, exciting, popular, attractive, spicy, or electrically live, depending on context.

“Hot” is pronounced hot (/hɑt/ in IPA).

Here is “hot” used in a sentence: “Be careful, the stove is still hot.”

Words with a similar meaning to “hot” include choleric and heated.

The opposite of “hot” — its antonyms — are chilled, chilly, cold as ice, cold and freezing.

“Hot” is an adjective.

The word “hot” comes from Old English. From Old English hat, going back to a Germanic root shared with "heat" — one of the oldest and most basic words in the language.

“Hot” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

Both describe temperature above cold, but hot is far more intense. Warm is a moderate, comfortable heat — a warm bath or a warm day feels pleasant. Hot means a high temperature that can feel uncomfortable or even burn, like a hot stove or a scorching afternoon. Hot is simply much warmer than warm.

The direct opposite of hot is cold — a low temperature, the absence of heat. Between the two lie words like cool, mild, and warm, which describe the range in between. When talking about spicy food, the opposite of a hot dish is a mild one rather than a cold one.

Yes, 'hot' has many figurative senses. Food can be hot in the sense of spicy, full of chilli heat. Something hot can be popular or trending, like a hot new film. In casual slang, hot can describe an attractive person, a topic of intense debate, or even stolen goods.