1670s, from South African Dutch, said in old Dutch sources to be a word that means "stammerer," from hot en tot "hot and tot," nonsense words imitative of stammering. The word was applied to the people for the clicking, jerking quality of Khoisan speech. Related: Hottentotic.
hothouse
hotly
hotness
hot-rod
hotshot
Hottentot
hottie
hot-wire
Houdini
hough
hound