red-hot

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled redhot

US /ˌredˈhɑːt/ UK /ˌredˈhɒt/ See IPA manual

Freq #23834

Meanings

1

adj
so hot that it glows red

The blacksmith laid the red-hot iron across the anvil.
2

adj
marked by extremely strong emotion, intensity, or controversy

The proposed ban provoked a red-hot debate in parliament.
3

adj
very new, exciting, and of intense public interest

Reporters competed for details of the red-hot political story.
4

adj
currently performing extremely well or considered very likely to win

The red-hot team entered the final after six consecutive victories.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · so hot that it glows red incandescent glowing

2 adj · marked by extremely strong... heated fiery intense

3 adj · very new, exciting, and of... hot sizzling newsworthy

4 adj · currently performing... in formstrongly favored

Opposites

cold cool lukewarm

Word family

Related forms hotwhite-hotred incandescent

Etymology

A compound of red + hot. Its literal sense describes metal or another material heated until it glows red; the vivid image later produced figurative senses for intense emotion, urgent public interest, and exceptional current performance.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# red-hot

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌredˈhɑːt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌredˈhɒt/
**Frequency rank:** 23834

## Meanings
1. so hot that it glows red
2. marked by extremely strong emotion, intensity, or controversy
3. very new, exciting, and of intense public interest
4. currently performing extremely well or considered very likely to win

## Examples
- The blacksmith laid the red-hot iron across the anvil.
- The proposed ban provoked a red-hot debate in parliament.
- Reporters competed for details of the red-hot political story.
- The red-hot team entered the final after six consecutive victories.

## Synonyms
- incandescent
- glowing
- heated
- fiery
- intense
- sizzling

## Antonyms
- cold
- cool
- lukewarm

## Related Forms
- hot
- white-hot
- red
- incandescent

## Etymology
A compound of red + hot. Its literal sense describes metal or another material heated until it glows red; the vivid image later produced figurative senses for intense emotion, urgent public interest, and exceptional current performance.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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