fetish

noun

fe·​tish ˈfe-tish 

also

ˈfē- 

1

a

: a usually handcrafted object (such as a carving) of spiritual significance that is believed to have the power to protect or aid its owner

Certain fetishes have meaning in Zuni religion and have been used in traditional medicine and hunting ceremonies for centuries.

—Catherine Watson

Picking up a beaded West African fetish doll, he [David Harper] explained the … piece would be offered as a gift at weddings and is "full of love and good luck".

—Storm Newton

About 1980, curators of African exhibitions began to replace "fetish" on their labels with "power object." Mindful of the burden of judgment that attaches to the term, anthropologists writing in English usually avoid "fetish" and try to use the appropriate indigenous words.

—New Encyclopedia of Africa

also : an object made in the style of a fetish

… if a [Zuni] fetish has not been blessed, it is more properly termed a "carving." It is regarded as an objet d'art, or collectible, and can be given or sold to an outsider.

—Gary Noel Ross

b

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

Whatever the personal reason, these fetishes will continue to dangle from rear-view mirrors or festoon dashboards around the world. They will lend their protection, trigger happy memories and start conversations with perfect strangers.

—Christopher Thrall

c

: an object of irrational reverence or obsessive devotion : prepossession

Her fetish for vinyl records ranged from early ragtime blues to rare and obscure rock …

—Richard A. Perez

He makes a fetish of authenticity …

—Patrick Redden Keefe

Security … may be sought excessively and become a fetish.

—Bertrand Russell

d

: 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

a shoe/foot/leather fetish

2

: fixation

had a fetish for red hair and so married a redhead

3

: a spiritual rite or belief system of fetish users

… the denigration of Vodou as fetish rather than a respected religion …

—Abigail Lapin Dardashti

a fetish practice/practitioner

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 of fetish

• obsession

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

That’s where that twisted fetish came from. —Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025

The titillating drama explores the complexities of dominant-submissive relationships and fetishes, as Ray gets aroused by making Colin lick his boots, buy his groceries and sleep at the foot of his bed. —Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025

And with Pillion’s release date set for February, he and Lambert look set to have even more fetish-leaning fun with his press tour wardrobe. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2025

Here, Lloyd clamps a muzzle — part fetish club, part Bane — over Lucky’s mouth while Pozzo pushes him in a wheelchair (the actor, Michael Patrick Thornton, uses a chair). —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 29 Sep. 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