titillation

American  

[tit-l-ey-shuhn] / ˌtɪt lˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of pleasantly exciting or arousing the senses, emotions, or imagination, often in a sexually suggestive way.

   We strongly condemn journalists who rely on sensationalism and titillation to sell newspapers.

   Elevating the soul through masterful titillation of the senses is what real cooking is all about.

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Etymology

Origin of titillation

First recorded in 1400–50; from Latin titillātiōn-, stem of titillātiō, equivalent to tītillāt(us) + -iō -ion ( def. ); titillate ( def. )

Example Sentences

But jazz hands and true crime aren’t the only titillations that will get fans to live shows.

From Los Angeles Times

He remembers being disturbed by the way adults around him discussed the 1973 film, with a mix of disgust and titillation, like a ghost story.

From New York Times

It wasn’t until after the show that I read May’s program note about “exposing the titillation of postmodernism’s detached aesthetics and its unbearable absurdity.”

From New York Times

Most of all, he has an aesthetic that isn’t all about terror or titillation.

From New York Times

But unlike that movie, which wobbled uncomfortably between titillation and moral panic, Bravo’s version of King’s story is sure-footed, her vision clear-eyed and genuinely risk-taking.

From Washington Post