fetishism

noun

fe·tish·ism ˈfe-ti-ˌshi-zəm

also ˈfē-

variants or less commonly fetichism

: belief in magical fetishes

: extravagant irrational devotion

: 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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The public first became aware of Hammer’s troubles in January 2021 when several women came forward with allegations of misconduct and messages containing BDSM fantasies and cannibalistic fetishism. —

Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Feb. 2023 Irma Vep, Rene (Jean-Pierre Léaud) was a New Wave burnout attracted to remaking the crime thriller in part because of the fetishism of working with actress Maggie Cheung (glorious as a version of herself) in the main character’s trademark catsuit. —

Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 May 2022 Other neurological conditions were ruled out, and he was diagnosed with fetishism on the basis of history and examination and successfully treated with behavioral therapy. —

Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2014 Arguably, it’s intensified into a fetishism of how trans bodies look. —

Emma Flint, Wired, 2 Dec. 2021 The outburst of Nazi fetishism caught some longtime observers off-guard, even with the rapper’s long history of poke-in-the-eye trolling. —

Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 5 Jan. 2023 Our preliminary data indicate that there may be a rising display in foot-fetishism in the pornographic literature. —

Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 17 Feb. 2012 The effect is David Cronenberg’s body horror meets Guy Bourdin’s fashionable fetishism. —

Vince Aletti, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2022 Schorr positions her subjects on a domestic stage of costumes and uniforms, love of fetishism, and curiosity to understand human beings in their contradictions. —

Rica Cerbarano, Vogue, 22 Aug. 2022 See More

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