erotic

adjective

erot·​ic i-ˈrä-tik 

variants or less commonly erotical

i-ˈrä-ti-kəl 

1

: of, devoted to, or tending to arouse sexual love or desire

erotic art

2

: strongly marked or affected by sexual desire

erotic noun

erotically

i-ˈrä-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of erotic

• sexy

Examples of erotic in a Sentence

the erotic aspects of the story of Beauty and the Beast

Recent Examples on the Web

In the first, fellow Globe nominee Ethan Hawke portrays Hart struggling through an alcoholic haze and with various erotic longings while his career prospects go up in smoke. —Chris Lee, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2025

At the top of this year’s list is the erotic thriller Best Seller from writer Matisse Haddad about a struggling writer, married to a famous novelist husband, who writes a viral tell-all that ignites a battle between the two. —Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 9 Dec. 2025

But whereas McGinley’s grittily intimate style had an erotic edge, Storch’s is tenderly attentive. —Dawn Chan, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025

Named for the classic George Michael song, the erotic thriller stars Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Charli XCX (who might have another movie at the festival), Daveed Diggs, Johnny Knoxville, and more. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 4 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Greek erōtikos, from erōt-, erōs

First Known Use

1621, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing erotic

• anti-erotic

Rhymes for erotic

• aprotic
• aquatic
• biotic
• chaotic
• cirrhotic
• despotic
• dichotic
• euphotic
• exotic
• fibrotic
• hieratic
• hypnotic

Kids Definition

erotic

adjective

erot·​ic i-ˈrät-ik 

: of, relating to, or marked by sexual love or desire

erotically

-ˈrät-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

eroticism

-ˈrät-ə-ˌsiz-əm

noun

Medical Definition

erotic

adjective

erot·​ic i-ˈrät-ik 

variants also erotical

i-ˈrät-i-kəl 

1

: of, devoted to, or tending to arouse sexual love or desire

2

: strongly marked or affected by sexual desire

erotically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb