fetishism

noun

fe·​tish·​ism ˈfe-ti-ˌshi-zəm 

 also  ˈfē-

variants or less commonly fetichism

1

: belief in magical fetishes

2

: extravagant irrational devotion

3

: the pathological displacement of erotic interest and satisfaction to a fetish

fetishist

ˈfe-ti-shist 

 also  ˈfē-

noun

fetishistic

ˌfe-ti-ˈshi-stik 

also

ˌfē- 

adjective

fetishistically

ˌfe-ti-ˈshi-sti-k(ə-)lē 

 also  ˌfē-

adverb

Examples of fetishism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Often overlooked and also categorized with fetishism (also known as axilism), armpits are sensitive to both light and firm touch. —Essence, 11 Sep. 2025

There’s a twisted wit to the setup here, as Kolstad takes real trends in American life — economic stagnation, rising tribalism, gun fetishism — and follows them to their corrupt, violent end points. —Katie Rife, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2025

This can be an attractive pitch in an era of overflowing data fetishism, as the critic Ben David has observed. —Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 9 July 2025

There were video game plushies, Bratz shirts, Minecraft totems, along with some Southern fetishism like cowboy boots and half-unbuttoned flannels. —Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 25 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fetishism

• autism
• fascism
• racism
• sikhism
• statism
• sufism
• thomism
• tourism
• tropism
• abolitionism
• aldosteronism
• americanism

Medical Definition

fetishism

noun

fe·​tish·​ism

variants also fetichism

-ish-ˌiz-əm 

: the pathological displacement of erotic interest and satisfaction to a fetish

fetishistic adjective

also fetichistic

ˌfet-ish-ˈis-tik also ˌfēt- 

fetishistically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb