hot spot

hot spot

noun

Definition of HOT SPOT

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

: an area of political, military, or civil unrest usually considered dangerous <global hot spots>

Examples of HOT SPOT

1. The new restaurant is the latest hot spot in town.
2. This part of the country is a hot spot of rebel activity.

First Known Use of HOT SPOT

1929