1. heated greenhouses for growing plants that need warm conditions
2. environments that encourage rapid development or growth of something
Usage: figurative

Examples

• The botanical garden has several hothouses filled with tropical plants.
• Orchids thrive in the warm, humid conditions of hothouses.
• The university’s hothouses allow researchers to study exotic species year-round.
• These elite schools are hothouses for future leaders.
• Silicon Valley became a hothouse for technological innovation.
• The city’s art district serves as a hothouse for creative talent.