noun

hotbed

Hotbed (noun) means a place or situation where something, especially something undesirable, develops quickly and intensely. Example: “The old warehouse district became a hotbed of crime.”

noun

A place or situation where something, especially something undesirable, develops quickly and intensely.

"The old warehouse district became a hotbed of crime."

"The university was a hotbed of political activism in the 1960s."

How to use hotbed

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA place where something, usually trouble or a movement, grows and spreads quickly.

Common pairings

hotbed of crime hotbed of activity hotbed of controversy

Word forms

hotbeds plural

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The old warehouse district became a _____ of crime.

Etymology

Originally a literal gardening term for a bed of soil heated by rotting manure to help seeds sprout early; the figurative sense of "breeding ground" grew from that image.

Frequently asked questions

What does “hotbed” mean?

The word “hotbed” means a place or situation where something, especially something undesirable, develops quickly and intensely. In plain terms, a place where something, usually trouble or a movement, grows and spreads quickly.

How do you use “hotbed” in a sentence?

Here is “hotbed” used in a sentence: “The old warehouse district became a hotbed of crime.”

What part of speech is “hotbed”?

“Hotbed” is a noun.

What is the meaning of hotbed?

"hotbed" (noun) means a place or situation where something, especially something undesirable, develops quickly and intensely.