hot
UK: hɒt | US: hɑːt
adj. having a high temperature
adj. spicy or pungent in flavor
adj. popular or currently trending
adj. intense or passionate
v. (informal) to make something hot or exciting
The word "hot" originates from Old English hāt, meaning "having a high temperature," which traces back to Proto-Germanic haitaz. This root is shared across Germanic languages (e.g., German heiß, Dutch heet). The term has retained its core meaning while expanding metaphorically to describe spiciness ("hot peppers"), popularity ("hot topic"), and emotional intensity ("hot temper"). Its simplicity and monosyllabic structure reflect its ancient, unbroken lineage in English.
The soup is too hot to eat right now.
She loves eating hot chili peppers.
That new song is really hot on the charts.
The debate got hot as tensions rose.
He tried to hot up the party with some music.