What does "fetish" mean?
Something which is believed to possess, contain, or cause spiritual or magical powers; an amulet or a talisman.
Fetish
noun
noun ·2 syllables ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Something which is believed to possess, contain, or cause spiritual or magical powers; an amulet or a talisman.
- Grammar: fetish is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: adore, amulet, amulet, baal.
- Useful contrasts: anti fetishism, detachment, disdain.
- Usage evidence: It's not like I've got any special interest in gym shorts - I've not got that fetish, I think.
How to use "fetish"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "fetish" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "fetish" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "fetish" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "fetish" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "fetish" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "adore" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "fetish", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Something which is believed to possess, contain, or cause spiritual or magical powers; an amulet or a talisman. countable, uncountable
"The idols and fetishes were being dressed up and whitewashed, receiving sacrifices."
- 2 excessive or irrational devotion to some activity wordnet
- 3 A figure representing the spirit of a deity, human, or animal; an idol or voodoo doll. countable, dated, uncountable
"This was the trunk of a large wooden doll […] now entirely defaced by a long career of vicarious suffering. […] The last nail had been driven in with a fiercer stroke than usual, for the Fetish on that occasion represented aunt Glegg"
- 4 a charm superstitiously believed to embody magical powers wordnet
- 5 Sexual fixation to or arousal at something abnormally sexual or nonsexual, such as an object or a nonsexual part of the body. countable, uncountable
"I know a guy who has a foot fetish."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 a form of sexual desire in which gratification depends to an abnormal degree on some object or item of clothing or part of the body wordnet
- 7 An irrational or abnormal preoccupation or fixation on some object or activity; an obsession. countable, uncountable
"He has been talking about the same topic for hours on end, I suspect he may have a fetish"
- 8 A recurrent theme of a specific thing. countable, uncountable
Antonyms
Example
"It's not like I've got any special interest in gym shorts - I've not got that fetish, I think."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "fetish"?
Common synonyms include: adore, amulet, amulet, baal, bias, bondage.
How do you use "fetish" in a sentence?
It's not like I've got any special interest in gym shorts - I've not got that fetish, I think.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-der. Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₁k-yé-ti Proto-Italic *θakjō Proto-Italic *fakjō Latin faciō Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tos Latin -tus Latin factus Latin -īcius Latin factīcius Portuguese feitiçobor. French fétichebor. English fetish Borrowed from French fétiche, from Portuguese feitiço, from Latin factīcius (“artificial”). Doublet of factitious.