fetishism

noun

fe·​tish·​ism ˈfe-ti-ˌshi-zəm 

also ˈfē-

variants or less commonly fetichism

1

: belief in or use of spiritual 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

There’s more to the novel, translated from the German by Daniel Bowles, than a purse-lipped satire of fetishism, but Kracht keeps it well below the surface. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026

To achieve this coherence, one must be freed from all fetishism toward the past and commit to a wholly new adventure. — Elinore Weil, Artforum, 4 Mar. 2026

Like, before me, the person foot fetishism was defined by was Luis Buñuel, another film director. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025

Today’s crisis of free speech in America is not the legacy of John Stuart Mill or First Amendment fetishism. — Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fetishism

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

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