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erotic

[ih-rot-ik]
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adjective Also e·rot·i·cal.
  1. arousing or satisfying sexual desire: an erotic dance.
  2. of, relating to, or treating of sexual love; amatory: an erotic novel.
  3. subject to or marked by strong sexual desire.
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noun
  1. an erotic poem.
  2. an erotic person.
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Origin of erotic

1615–25; < Greek erōtikós of love, caused by love, given to love, equivalent to erōt- (stem of érōs) Eros + -ikos -ic
Related formse·rot·i·cal·ly, adverban·ti·e·rot·ic, adjectivenon·e·rot·ic, adjectivenon·e·rot·i·cal·ly, adverbpseu·do·e·rot·ic, adjectivepseu·do·e·rot·i·cal·ly, adverbqua·si-e·rot·ic, adjectivequa·si-e·rot·i·cal·ly, adverbun·e·rot·ic, adjective
Can be confusederotic erratic exotic

Synonyms

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1. sensuous, sexy, aphrodisiac, erogenous.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

eroticturn-onpopperamativeamatoryamorous

Examples from the Web for erotics

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • Socrates described his philosophy as the science of erotics.

    A Problem in Greek Ethics

    John Addington Symonds

  • Much of their erotics she only half understood, but that made it all the more lovely.

    Tales of Two Countries

    Alexander Kielland

  • To prove this with all the rigidity of demonstration desirable is in the present state of erotics beyond our power.

  • As Frenchmen, they thought little about marrying, but as young Parisians they led a life into which erotics entered largely.

    Tales of Two Countries

    Alexander Kielland

British Dictionary definitions for erotics

erotic

adjective Also: erotical
  1. of, concerning, or arousing sexual desire or giving sexual pleasure
  2. marked by strong sexual desire or being especially sensitive to sexual stimulation
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noun
  1. a person who has strong sexual desires or is especially responsive to sexual stimulation
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Derived Formserotically, adverb

Word Origin

C17: from Greek erōtikos of love, from erōs love
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for erotics

erotic

adj.

1620s (implied in erotical), from French érotique (16c.), from Greek erotikos "caused by passionate love, referring to love," from eros (genitive erotos) "sexual love" (see Eros).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
erotics in Medicine

erotic

(ĭ-rŏt′ĭk)
adj.
  1. Of or concerning sexual love and desire.
  2. Tending to arouse sexual desire.
  3. Dominated by sexual love or desire.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.