fetish

noun

fe·tish | \ ˈfe-tish also ˈfē-

variants: or less commonly fetich

Definition of fetish

1a : 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

Synonyms A Brief History of Fetish Example Sentences Learn More about fetish

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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).

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

To this day, though, nobody in Europe is willing to acknowledge the biggest flaw in the continent’s now-defunct regulatory fetish for diesel. — Holman W. Jenkins, WSJ, "The Lessons of ‘Dieselgate’," 4 Jan. 2019 What’s with the New York Times and its Ken Griffin fetish? — Jason L. Riley, WSJ, "How a Billionaire Spends His Money Is His Own Business," 29 Jan. 2019 And our flying-car fetish has been a bogus panacea all along—every crash would be an air disaster. — Smith Henderson, Popular Mechanics, "I Went to the Opening of Elon Musk's First Boring Company Tunnel and Here Is What I Found," 19 Dec. 2018 Present-day Tumblr has substantial LGBT, kink, fetish, and BDSM representation, for example. — Peter Bright, Ars Technica, "Verizon takes aim at Tumblr’s kneecaps, bans all adult content," 3 Dec. 2018 Soranet catered to a broad spectrum of orientations, yearnings, and fetishes. — Shawn Musgrave, The Verge, "How ICE used an obscure rule to pursue the owners of a Korean porn site," 27 Sep. 2018 Probably stemming from deep psychological roots, people filed under this fetish are attracted to sobbing and tears. — Kenny Thapoung, Marie Claire, "9 Fascinating Sex Fetishes Every Woman Should Be Aware Of," 6 Oct. 2015 The descriptive text is quite graphic, mentioning fetish acts and featuring rambling stories that paint women as promiscuous. — Chris Morris, Fortune, "Walmart Was Once Again Forced to Pull an Offensive Shirt From Its Website," 12 July 2018 The American fetish for barbarism has seeped into the national film culture with a quiet insidiousness, creating a governing body that writes off mass destruction as no biggie while going for the fainting couch at the sight of a second nipple. — Charles Bramesco, Vox, "Eighth Grade’s R rating deters actual 8th graders from seeing it. What a shame.," 18 July 2018

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

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Last Updated

24 May 2019

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Time Traveler for fetish

The first known use of fetish was in 1613

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More Definitions for fetish

fetish

noun

English Language Learners Definition of fetish

: a strong and unusual need or desire for something

: a need or desire for an object, body part, or activity for sexual excitement

: an object that is believed to have magical powers

See the full definition for fetish in the English Language Learners Dictionary

fetish

noun

fe·tish

variants: also fetich \ ˈfet-ish also ˈfēt- \

Medical Definition of fetish

: 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