Meanings
nouneroticism (usually uncountable, plural eroticisms)
plural eroticisms
- uncountableusuallysexual excitement, especially if abnormally persistent
- uncountableusuallya sexual interest in something; an attraction, fetish, etc.
1 more example
There is a range of fantasies available to all of us in this culture. I think that everyone has a range of possibilities. Nevertheless, we all specialize; we all have preferences. A lot of people have those [sadomasochistic] fantasies cut ^([sic]) it isn't their primary eroticism, or even something they want to try.
1981 August 15, Nancy Wechsler, Gayle Rubin, Pat Califia, “Sadomasochism: Fears, Facts, Fantasies”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 5, page 6
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe arousal of feelings of sexual desire
Broader
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁rem-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁rém-e-tider.?
- Ancient Greekἐράω (eráō)
- Ancient Greekἔρως (érōs)
- Ancient Greekἐρωτῐκός (erōtĭkós)
- Latinerōticu
- Frenchérotique
- Englisherotic
- Englisheroticism
Translations
Bulgarian еро́тика
- еро́тика (erótika)the state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Catalan erotisme
- erotismethe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Chinese Mandarin 性感, 色情
- 性感 (xìnggǎn)the state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
- 色情 (sèqíng)the state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Czech erotika
- erotikathe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Danish erotik
- erotikthe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Dutch erotiek
- erotiekthe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Finnish erotiikka
- erotiikkathe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
French érotisme
- érotismethe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
German Erotik
- Erotikthe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Greek ερωτισμός
- ερωτισμός (erotismós)the state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Hindi शृंगारिकता
- शृंगारिकता (śŕṅgāriktā)the state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Irish earótachas, anghrá
- earótachasthe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
- anghráthe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
- anghráchasthe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Italian erotismo
- erotismothe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Japanese エロ, 好色
- エロ (ero)the state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
- 好色 (kōshoku)the state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
- エロティシズム (erotishizumu)sexual excitement, especially if abnormally persistent
Korean 성욕, 에로티시즘
- 성욕 (seong'yok)the state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
- 에로티시즘 (erotisijeum)sexual excitement, especially if abnormally persistent
Norwegian Bokmål erotikk
- erotikkthe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Norwegian Nynorsk erotikk
- erotikkthe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Polish erotyka, erotyzm
- erotykathe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
- erotyzmthe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
- erotykasexual excitement, especially if abnormally persistent
- erotyzmsexual excitement, especially if abnormally persistent
Russian эро́тика, эроти́зм
- эро́тика (erótika)the state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
- эроти́зм (erotízm)sexual excitement, especially if abnormally persistent
Slovak erotika
- erotikathe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Spanish erótica, erotismo
- eróticathe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
- erotismothe state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Ukrainian еро́тика
- еро́тика (erótyka)the state of being erotic, or of being sexually aroused
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
eroticism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/eroticism
MLA
“eroticism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/eroticism. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “eroticism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/eroticism.
Source: eroticism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.