hotbed
UK: ˈhɒtbed | US: ˈhɑːtbed
n. a place or environment conducive to rapid growth or development (often of something undesirable)
n. a bed of earth heated by fermenting manure, used for growing plants early or out of season
The word "hotbed" originated in the early 17th century, combining "hot" (from Old English hāt, meaning high temperature) and "bed" (from Old English bedd, meaning a plot of ground for plants). Initially, it referred literally to a heated plant bed, but by the 19th century, it evolved metaphorically to describe environments fostering rapid growth—often of negative phenomena like crime or disease. The logic mirrors the literal warmth accelerating plant growth, extended to abstract "growth" contexts.
The city became a hotbed of political unrest during the election.
Greenhouses often use hotbeds to grow seedlings in winter.
Poor sanitation turned the neighborhood into a hotbed of disease.
The university was a hotbed of innovation in the 1980s.
War zones can become hotbeds for illegal arms trading.