aphrodisiac
Americanadjective
noun
noun
adjective
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Aphrodisiacs are named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
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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
Where Ina goes, I will follow, whether it’s denim shirts as daily uniform, roast chicken as aphrodisiac, or the need for “good” olive oil.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 11, 2022
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
The Hindoo physicians state that the root decoction in milk is aphrodisiac; the root is also regarded as an antidote for the bite of the “cobra da cabelho,” but its virtue is purely imaginary.
From The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by Thomas, Jerome Beers
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
It’s a history of anaphrodisiacs, which are the opposite of aphrodisiacs.
From New York Times ● Apr. 17, 2020
“Kayan Mata” refers to the aphrodisiacs made of herbs, roots, spices, seeds and fruit that have been used for centuries by women from northern Nigeria.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 14, 2019
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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
