hot·house  (h ŏt hous ′)
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n.1. A heated greenhouse for plants that require an even, relatively warm temperature. 2. An environment conducive to vigorous growth or development; a hotbed: "With its mix of African, Latin, European, and pan-American influences, the Caribbean is truly a musical hothouse" (New Yorker). adj.1. Grown in a hothouse: a hothouse orchid. 2. Delicate and sensitive, as if from being grown in a hothouse. tr.v. hot·housed, hot·hous·ing, hot·hous·es To cultivate in a hothouse. |
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Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices
Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:
Indo-European Roots
Semitic Roots
The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.
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