thirst trap

American  

[thurst trap] / ˈθɜrst ˌtræp /

noun

Slang.

1. (on the internet) a social media post, especially a selfie or other photo, intended to elicit sexual attention, appreciation of one’s attractiveness, or other positive feedback (often used attributively): Her Instagram account is a thirst trap of foster kittens and rescue puppies.

   Did you see those thirst trap photos of her post-baby body?

   Her Instagram account is a thirst trap of foster kittens and rescue puppies.

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Etymology

Origin of thirst trap

First recorded in 2010–15; thirst ( def. ) (in the sense “strong desire”) + trap ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

In June 2020, back when we were all marching the streets in masks and it felt like the world was ending, an anonymous Wikipedia editor started an article called “Thirst trap.”

From Slate

RM posts a lot of art stuff, J-Hope has a mix of personal content and promotions of his work, V is more on the avant-garde side with the occasional thirst trap, Jin has been into tennis content lately, Suga posts a lot of selfies, Jimin seems to be living his best life in various locations, and Jungkook mostly lurks but occasionally pops up for extensive Q&As.

From The Verge

Like Zedd and Maren Morris’s previous collaboration, the unavoidable pop smash “The Middle,” “Make You Say” is the expertly engineered product of a whole cadre of collaborators: This time around, that includes co-writing credits from the sibling D.J. duo Beauz and the thirst trap aficionado Charlie Puth.

From New York Times

In CNN’s “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy,” the veteran actor turned social media thirst trap captured our tastebuds as he wandered across Italy, with all the swagger of a man whose body can process dairy, exploring the culinary scene and rich food history of its different regions over the first season’s six episodes.

From Los Angeles Times

Apple cider vinegar's sweet smell is appealing to gnats, so you can use it to make an easy trap — a literal thirst trap, if you will.

From Salon