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. ); see titillate ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

titillation

These patchwork visions have a restrained, contemplative air that carefully weighs the seriousness of their themes without ever dipping into melodrama or titillation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026

The great Argento films were never just about titillation and blood-spatter.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2022

The hysteria about drag queens — who may be neither gay nor transgender, and whose performances often tend toward parody rather than titillation — has been particularly intense.

From Washington Post ● Jun. 22, 2022

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

From New York Times ● Mar. 17, 2022

Men who put their heads between lions' jaws generally are, for the titillation of a straggling hair might produce a cough that would prove tragical.

From The Galaxy, Volume 23, No. 2, February, 1877 by Various