hotbed

noun

hot·​bed ˈhät-ˌbed How to pronounce hotbed (audio)
1
: a bed of soil enclosed in glass, heated especially by fermenting manure, and used for forcing or for raising seedlings
2
: an environment that favors rapid growth or development
a hotbed of activity

Examples of hotbed in a Sentence

a hotbed of political unrest prerevolutionary Boston was viewed as a hotbed of treason by the British
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
California has long been a hotbed of Fortune 500 companies and diverse industries from agriculture to manufacturing and film. Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025 Also, according to the Bishop Consulting 2024 Automated Driving Industry Trends Report – Trucks, other side of the Pacific is the hotbed of truck platooning. Richard Bishop, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025 Last year, the University was also a hotbed of student protests against the war in Gaza. Chad De Guzman, Time, 16 Apr. 2025 The city was a hotbed of music in the ’60s and ’70s, serving as the breeding ground for artists including the Ohio Players and Bootsy Collins. Todd Longwell, Variety, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hotbed

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hotbed was in 1626

Cite this Entry

“Hotbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotbed. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

hotbed

noun
hot·​bed ˈhät-ˌbed How to pronounce hotbed (audio)
1
: a heated bed of soil enclosed in glass and used for growing seedlings
2
: an environment that favors rapid growth or development
a hotbed of innovation

More from Merriam-Webster on hotbed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!