fetishism

American  

[fet-i-shiz-uhm, fee-ti-] / ˈfɛt ɪˌʃɪz əm, ˈfi tɪ- /

Or fetichism

noun

1. belief in or use of fetishes.

2. Psychiatry. the compulsive use of some object, or part of the body, as a stimulus in the course of attaining sexual gratification, as a shoe, a lock of hair, or underclothes.

3. blind devotion.

   a fetishism of sacrifice to one's children.

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fetishism British  

/ ˈfɛtɪˌʃɪzəm, ˈfiː- /

noun

1. a condition in which the handling of an inanimate object or a specific part of the body other than the sexual organs is a source of sexual satisfaction

2. belief in or recourse to a fetish for magical purposes

3. excessive attention or attachment to something

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• fetishistically
  adverb
• fetishistic
  adjective
• fetishist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of fetishism

First recorded in 1795–1805; fetish + -ism

Example Sentences

For all its brutality, the series retains the original’s romance without sliding into its predecessor’s cultural fetishism.

From Salon • Feb. 27, 2024

Matthew Walther supports gun rights, but he thinks that the fetishism of AR-15 fandom is dangerous.

From New York Times • Apr. 4, 2023

"We need to be pragmatic and guided by observed data, including underlying inflation, without fetishism for increases that are too mechanical," he added.

From Reuters • Jan. 5, 2023

“No more tokenism. No more superficial diversity. No longer will we watch Black culture be contorted into a vehicle for self-congratulation, complacency, guilt relief, experiential tourism, fetishism, appropriation and theft.”

From Seattle Times • Jun. 19, 2020

Is there in our day no undue sacrifice of present good in idle questionings? is there no tendency to trust in a vain fetishism to prevent or remove evils which energy could avert or remedy?

From Myths and Marvels of Astronomy by Proctor, Richard A. (Richard Anthony)