exotica

plural noun

ex·​ot·​i·​ca ig-ˈzä-ti-kə How to pronounce exotica (audio)
: things excitingly different or unusual
especially : literary or artistic items having an exotic theme or nature

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Postwar Britain wasn’t accustomed to tomatoes, lemons, olive oil, fresh apricots, and the other exotica that Elizabeth David longed for after spending the war in the south of France, then Greece, then Cairo, and coming home to empty markets and terrible food. Sheryl Julian, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Mar. 2021 However, there's a reason that just about every other manufacturer has gone to forced induction for their exotica. Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 15 Dec. 2020 Indeed, the exotica of Latin American backdrops offered a far more alluring temptation for early video game developers in the 1980s. Gabriel Solis, Wired, 29 Oct. 2021 Their size, their sound, the exotica of their games, shows, rides, and exhibits. Michael S. Hopkins, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 July 2021 In an unusual touch, Ms. Clark plays sitar on almost half these songs, and the instrument’s curling notes impart a feeling of second-hand exotica that fits the subject matter. Mark Richardson, WSJ, 10 May 2021 And unlike tempestuous Italian exotica, its spacious body and four-wheel drive provide everyday performance. Arthur St. Antoine, Car and Driver, 19 May 2020 Now the couple have brought at least some of the exotica of the island to our own continent. Julia Reed, ELLE Decor, 15 Apr. 2020 Her brand of electronic music encompassed orchestral pop, world exotica and tribal choirs, a seamless strand of world music over head-bobbing rhythms. Kevin Williams, chicagotribune.com, 1 Aug. 2019 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'exotica.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, neuter plural of exoticus

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of exotica was in 1828

Dictionary Entries Near exotica

Cite this Entry

“Exotica.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exotica. Accessed 31 May. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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