exotic

adjective ex·ot·ic \ ig-ˈzä-tik \

Updated on: 18 Apr 2018

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

—

exotically

play \ig-ˈzä-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

—

exoticness

play \ig-ˈzä-tik-nəs\ noun

See exotic defined for English-language learners

See exotic defined for kids

Examples of exotic in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of exotic from the Web

Of those, 132 are dogs or cats, and the remainder represent an exotic array of species, spokeswoman Robbyn Hopewell said.

— karin brulliard, chicagotribune.com, "Animal house? More colleges are saying yes to dogs and cats in dorms.," 14 Apr. 2018
Bambara-speakers in Mali call it kaba, after the sacred site in Mecca, from where pilgrims returned with exotic foods.

— The Economist, "African governments are having doubts about their staple crop," 12 Apr. 2018
The way some people can’t resist trying the latest workout craze, trendy fashions or exotic superfoods.

— NBC News, "I gave up my credit card for a month — and learned a ton about my spending habits," 7 Apr. 2018
Takeout for all other exotic wagers remains at 22 percent.

— jason frakes, The Courier-Journal, "Keeneland's spring meet opens Friday. Here are 5 things to know before going to the track," 5 Apr. 2018
Some came from farms, while others were purchased as exotic pets but grew much larger than anticipated.

— laura elyse king, BostonGlobe.com, "Solving riddles means pigging out," 4 Apr. 2018
Dubai also has one of the largest concentrations of wealth of any major urban area, as is evidenced by the amount of money spent on real estate, cars, exotic animal pets, and, of course, fashion.

— brooke bobb, Vogue, "These Designers Are Changing the Fashion Landscape in Dubai," 3 Apr. 2018
Take heart though as there are plenty of sports cars and exotic models of all prices and styles to entice the eye.

— craig hlavaty, Houston Chronicle, "Mecum automotive auction returning to Houston this week," 30 Mar. 2018
Colonel De’s is also one of only a handful of retail vendors nationwide that carries exotic products.

— melissa reinert, Cincinnati.com, "NKY has Sugar and Spice Trail to satisfy your sweet tooth," 29 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'exotic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of exotic

Latin exoticus, from Greek exōtikos, from exō

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1599

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

exotic Synonyms

Synonyms

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

Antonyms

familiar, nonexotic, nonglamorous, unexotic, unglamorous, unromantic;

alien, foreign;

dark, distant, faraway, remote;

alluring, captivating, enchanting, fascinating, magical;

exotic

noun

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

2 : stripteaser

3 : exotic shorthair

See exotic defined for English-language learners

Examples of exotic in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of exotic from the Web

The event will feature cars from the classics to the latest exotics.

— staff report, Houston Chronicle, "Coffee & Cars reschedules for Saturday, April 14," 11 Apr. 2018
East side of the lot is reserved strictly for exotics, north side is imports and south side American muscle.

— Sun-Sentinel.com, "Fairs & Festivals," 28 Mar. 2018
The most popular boots Ramirez has noticed for most men include square toe style boots with regular cowhides and some exotics such ostrich, alligator, python, and stingray boots.

— vagney bradley, Houston Chronicle, "Boot scootin' at the rodeo means big business to Cypress shop," 2 Mar. 2018
Headroom With the wind tunnel drawing aggressive tumblehome and longitudinal tapers into their cockpits, many exotics leave little headroom for tall drivers.

— eric tingwall, Car and Driver, "Driving from the Middle of the Car Is About to Make a Comeback: Here Are the Pros and Cons," 20 Feb. 2018
Nonetheless, toward the end of the 19th century, vegetables started gaining space on American tables, as such then-exotics as olives and celery began to be imported from warmer climates.

— ligaya mishan, New York Times, "The Golden Age of Crudités," 8 Feb. 2018
Bailey Leckwee wants to be a veterinarian and specialize in large animals or exotics like snakes and lizards.

— barry adams, The Seattle Times, "Wisconsin high school has 17 sets of twins," 10 Jan. 2018
Watching the movie is like gazing at a zoo full of exotics on a planet vaguely resembling Earth.

— michael phillips, Detroit Free Press, "Review: Getty kidnapping drama is medium-good," 23 Dec. 2017
Watching the movie is like gazing at a zoo full of exotics on a planet vaguely resembling Earth.

— michael phillips, Detroit Free Press, "Review: Getty kidnapping drama is medium-good," 23 Dec. 2017

First Known Use of exotic

1645

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

exotic Synonyms

Synonyms

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

abnormality, anomaly, freak, monster, monstrosity;

malformation, mutant, mutation;

EXOTIC Defined for English Language Learners

exotic

adjective

: very different, strange, or unusual
of a plant or animal : not living or growing naturally in a particular area : from another part of the world

exotic

noun

: a plant or animal that does not live or grow naturally in a particular area

EXOTIC Defined for Kids

exotic

adjective ex·ot·ic \ ig-ˈzä-tik \

1 : very different, strange, or unusual

2 : introduced from another country : not native

exotic plants

Learn More about exotic

See words that rhyme with exotic Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for exotic Spanish Central: Translation of exotic Nglish: Translation of exotic for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of exotic for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up exotic? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

exotic

exotically

exoticness

Examples of exotic in a Sentence

Recent Examples of exotic from the Web

Origin and Etymology of exotic

exotic Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

exotic

Examples of exotic in a Sentence

Recent Examples of exotic from the Web

First Known Use of exotic

exotic Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

EXOTIC Defined for English Language Learners

exotic

exotic

EXOTIC Defined for Kids

exotic

Learn More about exotic

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

'Complement' vs. 'Compliment'

Trending: HRC: Media Opened Door to 'Charlatans'

Going Greek: 7 Words from the Greek Alphabet

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes