noun · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:HH AA1 T L AY2 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A telephone line that is always staffed and able to give immediate assistance.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
If you've got any problems with the product, ring our hotline.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A direct line between two people, especially one between heads of state to be used in an emergency.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To communicate over a telephone hotline.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English hot Proto-Indo-European *līno-der.? Proto-Germanic *līną Proto-Germanic *līnǭ Proto-West Germanic *līnā Old English līne Middle English line English line English hotline From hot + line.
Across languages
Translations
31 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
خَطّ سَاخِن
(ḵaṭṭ sāḵin)
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Azerbaijani:
qaynar xətt
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Belarusian:
гара́чая лі́нія
(haráčaja línija)
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Bulgarian:
гореща линия
(gorešta linija)
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Chinese Mandarin:
熱線 /热线
(rèxiàn)
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Finnish:
päivystysnumero
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Finnish:
palvelunumero
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
French:
assistance téléphonique
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
German:
Hotline
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Hungarian:
forródrót
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Hungarian:
segélyvonal
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Japanese:
ホットライン
(hottorain)
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Kazakh:
жедел желі
(jedel jelı)
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Korean:
핫라인
(hannain)
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Polish:
infolinia
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Russian:
горя́чая ли́ния
(gorjáčaja línija)
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Spanish:
línea directa
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Swedish:
heta linjen
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Ukrainian:
гаря́ча лі́нія
(harjáča línija)
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Vietnamese:
đường dây nóng
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Vietnamese:
đường dây khẩn cấp
— telephone line that is able to give immediate assistance
Chinese Mandarin:
熱線 /热线
(rèxiàn)
— direct line between two people
Finnish:
kuuma linja
— direct line between two people
French:
téléphone rouge
— direct line between two people
Hungarian:
forródrót
— direct line between two people
Japanese:
ホットライン
(hottorain)
— direct line between two people
Korean:
핫라인
(hannain)
— direct line between two people
Russian:
горя́чая ли́ния
(gorjáčaja línija)
— direct line between two people
Russian:
пряма́я ли́ния
(prjamája línija)
— direct line between two people
Vietnamese:
đường dây nóng
— direct line between two people
Vietnamese:
đường dây khẩn cấp
— direct line between two people
