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.
These tumultuous incidents are bound by a daring half-hour-long scene of the driver’s erotic overnight reunion with his hard-living girlfriend, who wants to adopt the child. — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 31 July 2026 The atmospheric erotic thriller will world premiere in the prestigious international competition at the upcoming Locarno Film Festival, taking place in Switzerland over August 5-15. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 29 July 2026 Directed by Teresa Simone, Desire is a Mexican erotic thriller centered on a married lawyer’s affair with her daughter’s swim coach. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 July 2026 What the controversy revealed was not merely discomfort with a costume, but discomfort with a woman in her forties presenting herself as erotic, funny, commanding, and entirely in control of the spectacle. — Debbie Millman, Time, 25 July 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 5 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

More from Merriam-Webster on erotic

Nglish: Translation of erotic for Spanish Speakers

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