fetish

noun

fe·​tish ˈfe-tish 

also

ˈfē- 

variants or less commonly fetich

1

a

: an object (such as a small stone carving of an animal) believed to have magical power to protect or aid its owner

broadly : a material object regarded with superstitious or extravagant trust or reverence

b

: an object of irrational reverence or obsessive devotion : prepossession

c

: an object or bodily part whose real or fantasied presence is psychologically necessary for sexual gratification and that is an object of fixation to the extent that it may interfere with complete sexual expression

2

: fixation

3

: a rite or cult of fetish worshippers

Did you know?

A Brief History of Fetish

When fetish first appeared in English in the early 17th century, it referred to objects (often amulets) believed by certain West Africans to have supernatural powers. During the 19th century, the word took on a broader meaning: "an object of irrational devotion or reverence." The object need not be physical: a person may have a fetish for an idea, such as an unwarranted belief that a particular economic system will solve society’s ills. By the early 20th century, fetish took on yet another meaning quite distinct from its antecedents: a sexualized desire for an object (such as a shoe) or for a body part that is not directly related to the reproductive act (such as an earlobe).

Synonyms

• problem
• obsession
• fixation
• preoccupation
• mania

Examples of fetish in a Sentence

He has a fetish for secrecy.

He wore a fetish to ward off evil spirits.

Recent Examples on the Web

Most recently, the former clowned the latter for his alleged bedroom fetishes on Tuesday. —Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 15 May 2025

Jack’s fetish for suits put me in mind of his early experience grading spinach. —Cree Lefavour, New York Times, 30 May 2025

Her videos will aim to appeal to those with hair fetishes. —Zack Sharf, Variety, 10 Mar. 2025

Along the way, the orchid became the subject of scientific speculation (including by Charles Darwin), a fetish in the Victorian era’s burgeoning consumer culture, and an example of the excesses of imperialist extraction. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 19 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

French & Portuguese; French fétiche, from Portuguese feitiço, from feitiço artificial, false, from Latin facticius factitious

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for fetish

• coquettish

Kids Definition

fetish

noun

fe·​tish

variants also fetich

ˈfet-ish 

 also  ˈfēt-

1

: an object (as an idol or image) believed to have supernatural or magical powers

2

: an object of unreasonable devotion or concern

fetishism

-ˌiz-əm

noun

Medical Definition

fetish

noun

fe·​tish

variants also fetich

ˈfet-ish also ˈfēt-

: an object or bodily part whose real or fantasized presence is psychologically necessary for sexual gratification and that is an object of fixation to the extent that it may interfere with complete sexual expression