# hotbed

/ˈhɑtˌbɛd/ (US) · /hˈɒtbɛd/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hotbed
Updated: 2026-10-15

## Definition

a place where something grows or spreads very quickly, often something bad like crime or anger. You use it when one area creates a lot of that thing.

For teachers: a place or environment where a particular activity, belief, or undesirable condition develops and spreads rapidly. Typically appears in the phrase 'a hotbed of' followed by an abstract noun.

## Examples

- This neighbourhood is a hotbed for new restaurants.
- The university lab became a hotbed of innovation after the new funding arrived.
- The port city, with its crowded markets and restless sailors, served as a hotbed for radical ideas that soon spread inland.

## Usage notes

- Commonly appears as 'a hotbed of' + noun (a hotbed of crime, a hotbed of dissent).

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.