fetish

noun fe·tish \ ˈfe-tish also ˈfē- \

variants: or less commonly fetich

Definition of fetish

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 :a rite or cult of fetish worshippers

3 :fixation

See fetish defined for English-language learners

See fetish defined for kids

Examples of fetish in a Sentence

He has a fetish for secrecy.
He wore a fetish to ward off evil spirits.

Recent Examples of fetish from the Web

People have been surrounding themselves with objects of worship since time immemorial, even if today's fetish is more likely to be a Chewbacca collectible than a terra-cotta object.

— the new york times, NOLA.com, "'Brigsby Bear' movie review: A weird but wonderful bit of offbeat joy," 18 Aug. 2017
American Apparel was inconsistent in every way — design, sizing, pricing, quality — except in their commitment to making leisurewear fetish-y and fetishwear leisurely.

— kat stoeffel, The Cut, "Where Do You Buy Comfy-Slutty Underwear in a World Without American Apparel?," 17 July 2017
Okpokwasili turns herself into an African pain fetish.

— armond white, National Review, "Girls Trip and Bronx Gothic: Two Visions of Post-Obama Black Empowerment," 14 July 2017
From vintage cruises to European motorcycle gatherings, gearheads can probably find some night tailored to their specific mechanical fetish at least once a month.

— trevor fraser, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Ace Cafe makes a play to be Orlando hotspot," 13 July 2017
Akihabara, Tokyo’s mecca for manga and anime, is also the heart of a fetish for schoolgirls and their uniforms.

— The Economist, "BanyanNo one is well-served by sexism in Japan," 13 July 2017
Most of the other plays were lighthearted comedies involving weird fetishes, the return of Aphrodite, an elementary school election and a three-way romance.

— pam kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, "One last dispatch from the Fringe: 8 shows close annual festival," 4 July 2017
The website bills itself as a place for users to connect with other people interested in bondage, sadomasochism and more obscure sexual fetish fantasies.

— cleve r. wootson jr., Washington Post, "Man accused of abducting Chinese grad student had visited kidnap fetish website, feds say," 1 July 2017
A sizable portion of the female population has a shoe fetish.

— by sherry kuehl, kansascity.com, "Dear social media ‘friends:’ ditch the bragging while you’re de-cluttering life," 20 June 2017

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.

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).

Origin and Etymology of fetish

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1613

See Words from the same year

fetish Synonyms

Synonyms

fixation (also fetich), idée fixe, mania, obsession, preoccupation, prepossession

Antonyms

hoodoo, jinx

Near Antonyms

apathy, disinterestedness, disregard, indifference, insouciance, nonchalance, unconcern, unconcernedness

Other Psychology Terms

hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

FETISH Defined for English Language Learners

fetish

noun

Definition of fetish for English Language Learners

: 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

Medical 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