aphrodisiac
Americanadjective
noun
-
aphrodisiacs
plural
noun
adjective
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Aphrodisiacs are named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of aphrodisiac
1710–20; < Greek aphrodīsiak ós relating to love or desire, equivalent to aphrodī́si ( os ) of Aphrodite + -akos -ac
Explanation
An aphrodisiac is a drug (or something else) that puts people in the mood for sex. Anything described as aphrodisiac gets folks ready for sex. In some cases, that could be a drug. Other people find candles, music, or even dimming the lights to be aphrodisiacs. Food is considered a major aphrodisiac by many people, and there are several foods like oysters and chocolate that are thought to have an aphrodisiac effect. When you see aphrodisiac, think sexual.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"Power," he was fond of saying, "is the ultimate aphrodisiac."
From BBC ● Nov. 29, 2023
The Russian dancer was entranced, according to “Nureyev,” a biography by Julie Kavanagh; once, he described Ms. Seymour’s dancing as a kind of artistic aphrodisiac.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 14, 2023
Rhino horns are sold by poachers in South Asia, China, Vietnam and some other countries because of a belief that they contain an aphrodisiac and medicinal properties.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 22, 2021
So too can inequitable division of household labor—exhaustion with a side of resentment is hardly an aphrodisiac.
From Salon ● Dec. 20, 2020
In spite of the whole modern school of impressionists, æsthetes, and aphrodisiac poets, the most prominent features of Greek art are its intellectuality, its well-reasoned science, and its accurate conception of the ideal.
From Doctor Claudius, A True Story by F. Marion (Francis Marion) Crawford
The insects are considered aphrodisiacs, delicacies and pets, said defence lawyer David Lusweti Namai.
From Barron's ● Mar. 17, 2026
Economic uncertainty, forced home schooling and the daily panic of contracting a deadly illness at the grocery store are not, it turns out, aphrodisiacs.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 29, 2021
Surgical scars, lost body parts and hair, chemically induced fatigue, radiological burns, nausea, hormone-blocking medications, numbness from neuropathies, weight gain or loss, and anxiety hardly function as aphrodisiacs.
From New York Times ● Jan. 18, 2018
One encounter is papered over by the most questionable of aphrodisiacs, Van Morrison.
From Washington Times ● Feb. 9, 2017
He was fed up with traveling through exotic countries selling shark-fin aphrodisiacs, ginseng to cure all ills, carved Eskimo statues, stuffed Amazonian piranhas, and chinchillas for ladies’ coats.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
