exotic

¹ex·ot·ic

adjective \ig-ˈzä-tik\

Definition of EXOTIC

1

: introduced from another country : not native to the place where found <exotic plants>

2

archaic : foreign, alien

3

: strikingly, excitingly, or mysteriously different or unusual <exotic flavors>

4

: of or relating to striptease <exotic dancing>

— ex·ot·i·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

— ex·ot·ic·ness \-tik-nəs\ noun

Examples of EXOTIC

1. She's known for her exotic tastes.
2. <the gradual disappearance of exotic lands in a culturally homogenized world>

Origin of EXOTIC

Latin exoticus, from Greek exōtikos, from exō

First Known Use: 1599

Related to EXOTIC

Synonyms

bizarro, fantastic (also fantastical), glamorous (also glamourous), marvelous (or marvellous), outlandish, romantic, strange

Antonyms

familiar, nonexotic, nonglamorous, plain-Jane, unexotic, unglamorous, unromantic

Related Words

colorful, picture-book, picturesque, quaint; alien, foreign; dark, distant, faraway, remote; alluring, captivating, enchanting, fascinating, magical

Rhymes with EXOTIC

aquatic, biotic, chaotic, cirrhotic, demotic, despotic, ergotic, erotic, hypnotic, kyphotic, leprotic, lordotic, meiotic, mitotic, narcotic, necrotic, neurotic, Nilotic, osmotic, psychotic, quixotic, robotic, sclerotic, thrombotic, zygotic

²exotic

noun

Definition of EXOTIC

1

: one (as a plant or animal) that is exotic

2

: stripteaser

3

: exotic shorthair

Examples of EXOTIC

1. Some native species are being crowded out by exotics.
2. <the botanical garden boasts an array of horticultural exotics from around the world>

First Known Use of EXOTIC

1645

Related to EXOTIC

Synonyms

curio, curiosity, objet d'art (also objet), oddity, oddment, rarity

Related Words

found object, objet trouvé; curiosa, ephemera, virtu (or vertu); marvel, prodigy, rara avis, rare bird, wonder; abnormality, anomaly, freak, monster, monstrosity; malformation, mutant, mutation

Rhymes with EXOTIC

aquatic, erotic, hypnotic, narcotic, neurotic, psychotic, sclerotic