Definition

Noun: A period of several days or more during which the weather is unusually or uncomfortably hot.

Usage

This noun refers to a temporary but sustained period of high temperatures. It is typically used in weather forecasts, news reports, and general conversation to describe a notable stretch of hot days.

Examples

• The city issued a health warning during the recent hot spell.
• Farmers are concerned about the crops if this hot spell continues.
• We're in for a hot spell, with temperatures expected to exceed 95°F all week.

Advanced Usage

• The term often implies the heat is notable, persistent, and outside the normal range for the location and time of year. It can be associated with droughts or heatwaves, though "hot spell" may describe a less severe or shorter duration of heat than a formal "heatwave."

Variants and Related Words

• Heatwave (n): A prolonged period of abnormally hot weather, often more severe and formally defined by meteorological criteria than a "hot spell."
• Cold spell (n): A period of several days of unusually cold weather. (The direct opposite concept).

Synonyms

• Heatwave
• Stretch of hot weather
• Period of high temperatures

Antonyms

• Cold snap
• Cold spell

Noun

1. a spell of hot weather