hotbed
/ˈhɒt.bɛd/ noun
Forms hotbeds
- noun A low bed of earth covered with glass, and heated with rotting manure, used for the germination of seeds and the growth of tender plants, like a miniature hothouse.
- noun (by extension) An environment that is ideal for the growth or development of something, especially of something undesirable.
- noun An iron platform in a rolling mill, on which hot bars, rails, etc., are laid to cool.
Synonyms
Etymology
From hot + bed.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A bed of earth heated by fermenting manure or other substances, and covered with glass, intended for raising early plants, or for nourishing exotics.
- noun A place which favors rapid growth or development; as, a hotbed of sedition.
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “hotbed”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details