hot dog

¹ American  

[hot dawg, hot dawg] / ˈhɒt ˌdɔg, ˈhɒt ˈdɔg /

noun

1. a frankfurter.

2. a sandwich consisting of a frankfurter in a split roll, usually eaten with mustard, sauerkraut, or relish.

3. Informal. Also hotdog, hot dogger, hotdogger, hot-dogger

   1. a person who performs complex, showy, and sometimes dangerous maneuvers, especially in surfing or skiing.

   2. a show-off, especially in sports.

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interjection

1. Informal. (used to express great joy or delight.)

hot-dog ² American  

[hot-dawg, -dog] / ˈhɒtˌdɔg, -ˌdɒg /

Or hotdog

verb (used without object)

hot-dogged, hot-dogging

1. to perform unusual or very intricate maneuvers in a sport, especially surfing or skiing.

2. to perform in a recklessly or flamboyantly skillful manner, as in a sport or athletic activity; show off.

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adjective

1. skillful or excellent, as in sports performance.

2. of, indicating, or for a type of sports activity, especially surfing or skiing, in which intricate and potentially dangerous stunts are performed.

3. intended or done to draw attention; showy or sensational.

hot dog ¹ British  

noun

1. a person who performs showy acrobatic manoeuvres when skiing or surfing

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verb

1. (intr) to perform a series of manoeuvres in skiing, surfing, etc, esp in a showy manner

hot dog ² British  

noun

1. a sausage, esp a frankfurter, served hot in a long roll split lengthways

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hot dog Idioms  

1. A person who performs showy, often dangerous stunts, especially but not exclusively in sports; also, a showoff. For example, He was a shameless hot dog on the tennis court, smashing every ball , or She was a hot dog behind the wheel, screeching her wheels at every turn . The relation of this term to the edible hot dog is unknown. [ Colloquial ; c. 1900]

2. Also, hot diggety dog ; hot diggety . An interjection expressing delight or enthusiasm, as in Hot dog! What a great gift , or Hot diggety! We got the best concert tickets after all . [ Slang ; c. 1900]

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Etymology

Origin of hot dog¹

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

Origin of hot-dog²

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

I could get a hot dog topped with mustard, relish and onions served on a steamed bun.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

There’s not even an offer of a free Costco signature hot dog.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026

“Show you care. Sit at the local hot dog joint or diner, talk to people about bread-and-butter issues they care about. Talk about inflation, talk about health care, talk about clean drinking water.”

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

Cover your ears, look away, or grab a hot dog — after all, not every artist is for everyone, and complaining won’t change that.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2026

If I bought a hot dog on the street, I'd have to make up that money by eating eggs for dinner or walking fifty blocks to the library rather than taking the subway.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Related Words

• frankfurter
• sausage