erotic

adjective

erot·​ic i-ˈrä-tik How to pronounce erotic (audio)
variants or less commonly erotical
Synonyms of eroticnext
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 adverb

Examples of erotic in a Sentence

the erotic aspects of the story of Beauty and the Beast
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
According to reports by European travelers, the interior of the structure displayed erotic artworks prior to the 19th century. Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026 But the specific French dispensation—the idea that a man’s erotic life exists outside the moral world of his other obligations, that the wife and the mistress are a civilized arrangement, that desire is sovereign—this mythology did not make the crossing with me, or did not survive it intact. Literary Hub, 6 May 2026 The Florida native, who studied sculpture in college and has an academic interest in erotic art and kitsch, spent 15 years with Playboy (partly as a Cyber Girl, the virtual equivalent of the in-print Playmate), and joined OnlyFans in 2020 before purchasing the home she’s dubbed Ho Château. Zoey Goto, Architectural Digest, 6 May 2026 The erotic implications of vampiric temptation—and of glam-rock front men who generously offer to pierce an ear under the boardwalk—remain. Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for erotic

Word History

Etymology

Greek erōtikos, from erōt-, erōs

First Known Use

1621, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of erotic was in 1621

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Erotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erotic. Accessed 13 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

erotic

adjective
erot·​ic i-ˈrät-ik How to pronounce erotic (audio)
: of, relating to, or marked by sexual love or desire
erotically adverb
eroticism
-ˈrät-ə-ˌsiz-əm
noun

Medical Definition

erotic

adjective
erot·​ic i-ˈrät-ik How to pronounce erotic (audio)
variants also erotical
1
: of, devoted to, or tending to arouse sexual love or desire
2
: strongly marked or affected by sexual desire
erotically adverb

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