fetish
playSimple Definition of fetish
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: a strong and unusual need or desire for something
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: a need or desire for an object, body part, or activity for sexual excitement
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: an object that is believed to have magical powers
Full Definition of fetish
1 a : an object (as a small stone carving of an animal) believed to have magical power to protect or aid its owner; broadly : a material object regarded with superstitious or extravagant trust or reverence b : an object of irrational reverence or obsessive devotion : prepossession c : an object or bodily part whose real or fantasied presence is psychologically necessary for sexual gratification and that is an object of fixation to the extent that it may interfere with complete sexual expression
2 : a rite or cult of fetish worshipers
3 : fixation
Examples of fetish in a sentence
He has a fetish for secrecy.
He wore a fetish to ward off evil spirits.
A Brief History of fetish
When fetish first appeared in English in the early 17th century, it referred to objects (often amulets) believed by certain West Africans to have supernatural powers. During the 19th century, the word took on a broader meaning: "an object of irrational devotion or reverence." The object need not be physical: a person may have a fetish for an idea, such as an unwarranted belief that a particular economic system will solve society’s ills. By the early 20th century, fetish took on yet another meaning quite distinct from its antecedents: a sexualized desire for an object (such as a shoe) or for a body part that is not directly related to the reproductive act (such as an earlobe).
Variants of fetish
fetich
Origin and Etymology of fetish
French & Portuguese; French fétiche, from Portuguese feitiço, from feitiço artificial, false, from Latin facticius factitious
First Known Use: 1613
Other Psychology Terms
Medical Dictionary
fetish
Medical Definition of fetish
: an object or bodily part whose real or fantasized presence is psychologically necessary for sexual gratification and that is an object of fixation to the extent that it may interfere with complete sexual expression
Learn More about fetish
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for fetish Spanish Central: Translation of fetish Nglish: Translation of fetish for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fetish
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