eroticism
|e-rot-i-cism|
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/ɪˈrɑːtɪsɪzəm/
🇬🇧
/ɪˈrɒtɪsɪzəm/
sexual appeal or arousal
Etymology
'eroticism' originates from Greek, specifically the adjective 'erōtikos' (ἐρωτικός), where 'erōs' meant 'love' (in the sense of sexual love).
'erōtikos' passed into Late Latin/French as forms like 'eroticus'/'érotisme' and later entered English as 'eroticism' in the 18th–19th centuries.
Initially it referred to things relating to sexual love; over time it has come to mean both the quality of arousing sexual desire and the artistic treatment or sensibility focused on sexual desire.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or state of being erotic; sexual arousal or sexual appeal.
The novel's eroticism caused controversy when it was first published.
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Noun 2
artistic representation or treatment of sexual subject matter intended to evoke sexual feelings (in literature, visual art, film, etc.).
The director used light and composition to emphasize the film's eroticism rather than explicit content.
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Noun 3
a cultural or personal sensibility that celebrates or focuses on sexual love and desire.
Her poetry explores eroticism as a natural human impulse rather than something shameful.
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Last updated: 2025/11/21 17:13