aphrodisiac
Americanadjective
noun
noun
adjective
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Aphrodisiacs are named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love.
Other Word Forms
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.
He captures how power works as an aphrodisiac to Assange, who goes from the triumph of taking down the Swiss bank, Julius Baer to leaking classified government military records supplied to him by Chelsea Manning.
From Salon • Mar. 26, 2022
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
It is, in part, a man called Elon Musk, who is a billionaire genius philanthropist and not a brand of aftershave with both aphrodisiac and organ-elongation properties.
From The Guardian • Jan. 5, 2020
But in the end all palled for a time, the aphrodisiac tropic smell; the coral waters, clear as well water at home; the white houses with the green jalousies; the lush, coarse green.
From The Wind Bloweth by Donn-Byrne, Brian Oswald
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.
