Definition of "hot spot" [hot spot]

• An area in which there is dangerous unrest or hostile action: "opportunities . . . for United Nations forces to play a constructive role in some of the world's hot spots” ( Paul Lewis). (noun)
• Informal A lively and popular place, such as a nightclub. (noun)
• An area of intense heat, radiation, or activity. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Joe Termini Ruschmeyer's, a refurbished camplike resort, is the hot spot with the fashion crowd this summer."
• "What could it have had to make it a hot spot of hair-bobbing?"
• "With its combination playground-carousel-miniature-steam-engine ride, the sprawling recreational area is a hot spot for the kindergarten set."