noun General Slang

Hot Rod

/hɒt rɒd/ · noun · slang

A car stripped down and souped up for speed, the centerpiece of greaser culture.

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Definitions

1

By extension, a person who drives recklessly fast.

“Slow down, you hot rod, before you wreck us all.”
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2

An automobile, usually an older model, modified with a more powerful engine and lighter body for racing and speed.

“He spent all summer building a hot rod out of a beat-up Ford coupe.”
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3

Anything modified for higher performance.

“She turned her sewing machine into a hot rod with that new motor.”
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Hot Rod In A Sentence

Every kid on the strip wanted to race his cherry-red hot rod.
The garage was full of hot rods in various stages of build.
Quit driving like a hot rod or you'll lose your license.

Origin & Usage

1930s-40s Southern California car culture coined 'hot rod' for stripped-down, hopped-up cars, and it became the beating heart of 1950s greaser and teen culture. The term may derive from 'hot roadster' or from the hopped-up engine 'rods.'

Variants hotrodrodhot-rod
Tags #1950s#greaser#rockabilly#vintage#cars#hot-rod

People Also Ask

What does hot rod mean?

A hot rod is a car stripped down and modified with a more powerful engine for speed, central to 1950s greaser and racing culture.

Where did hot rod come from?

It originated in 1930s-40s Southern California car culture and exploded in the 1950s; the name likely comes from 'hot roadster' or hopped-up engine rods.

Can hot rod describe a person?

Yes — it can also mean a reckless, speed-loving driver.

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