erotic

adjective

erot·​ic i-ˈrä-tik How to pronounce erotic (audio)
variants or less commonly erotical
i-ˈrä-ti-kəl How to pronounce erotic (audio)
Synonyms of eroticnext
1
: of, devoted to, or tending to arouse sexual love or desire
erotic art
2
: strongly marked or affected by sexual desire
erotic noun
erotically
i-ˈrä-ti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce erotic (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of erotic

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Examples of erotic in a Sentence

the erotic aspects of the story of Beauty and the Beast
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Both of them have erotic fixations with that original Miasma, which requires stepping back into the movie — and the glories of the disreputable genre itself. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026 There is still a powerful cultural assumption that motherhood replaces, or should replace, a woman's erotic identity. — Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 7 Aug. 2026 There’s no mounting panic, no erotic urgency, and no persuasive reason these two characters must sleep together before sunrise in a New Year’s Eve-like framing. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2026 That was always a reference back to the heyday of erotic thrillers in the ’80s and ’90s. — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for erotic

Word History

Etymology

Greek erōtikos, from erōt-, erōs

First Known Use

1621, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of erotic was in 1621

Phrases Containing erotic

Rhymes for erotic

See All Rhymes for erotic

Browse Nearby Words

erotes
erotic
erotica
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Cite this Entry

“Erotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erotic. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

erotic

adjective
erot·​ic i-ˈrät-ik How to pronounce erotic (audio)
: of, relating to, or marked by sexual love or desire
erotically
-ˈrät-i-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce erotic (audio)
adverb
eroticism
-ˈrät-ə-ˌsiz-əm
noun

Medical Definition

erotic

adjective
erot·​ic i-ˈrät-ik How to pronounce erotic (audio)
variants also erotical
i-ˈrät-i-kəl How to pronounce erotic (audio)
1
: of, devoted to, or tending to arouse sexual love or desire
2
: strongly marked or affected by sexual desire
erotically
-i-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce erotic (audio)
adverb

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Nglish: Translation of erotic for Spanish Speakers

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