erotic

adjective

erot·​ic i-ˈrä-tik How to pronounce erotic (audio)
variants or less commonly erotical
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 adverb

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.
Her decision meant that, following the success of her role of murder suspect Catherine Tramell in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct in 1992, her memorable outfit was hers to keep. Caroline Frost, Deadline, 2 Mar. 2025 But when Davis mentioned Nicole Kidman's 2024 erotic drama, Babygirl, as an example of a new film that does, Lowe reconsidered his remarks. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 1 Mar. 2025 Berlin, now 82, made a name for himself in the 1970s with his imagery and gay erotic films. Ryma Chikhoune, WWD, 21 Feb. 2025 Especially because some of her own early roles, such as the 1998 erotic thriller Wild Things (opposite Neve Campbell) could be judged. Liz McNeil, People.com, 20 Feb. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Erotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erotic. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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 adverb
eroticism
-ˈrät-ə-ˌsiz-əm
noun

Medical Definition

erotic

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

More from Merriam-Webster on erotic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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