Superlative form of hot; having the highest temperature, or colloquially, the most attractive or trendy.
From Old English 'hat,' related to the concept of heat and high temperature. The superlative form 'hottest' follows standard English patterns for adding -est to single-syllable adjectives. The slang usage for 'attractive' emerged in 20th-century American English.
The slang use of 'hot' for attractive is actually quite old—it appeared in American English by the 1890s! What's cool is that languages often reuse temperature words for emotion: we say 'hot-headed,' 'cold shoulder,' 'warm welcome'—temperature metaphors are everywhere in how we describe feelings.
Applied asymmetrically to women as primary objects of aesthetic judgment and desirability. Historically used to reduce women's value to appearance and sexual appeal.
Use sparingly and only in contexts where attractiveness is genuinely relevant. Apply equally across genders or avoid comparative aesthetics.
["most accomplished","most impactful","most innovative"]
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