fetishism
|fet-ish-ism|
🇺🇸
/ˈfɛtɪˌʃɪzəm/
🇬🇧
/ˈfɛtɪˌʃɪz(ə)m/
attributing power or obsessive fixation on an object
Etymology
'fetishism' originates from French, specifically the word 'fétichisme', which in turn derives from Portuguese 'feitiço' meaning 'artificial thing' or 'charm'.
'fetishism' entered English in the 17th–18th centuries via French 'fétichisme' and Portuguese 'feitiço' (from earlier Latin/Latin-derived roots such as 'facticius' meaning 'made' or 'artificial'), evolving from terms for manufactured objects thought to possess power to the modern senses.
Initially, the related terms referred to an object believed to have inherent supernatural power ('charm' or 'man‑made object charged with power'); over time the meaning broadened to include both religious/anthropological senses and the sexual/psychological sense of fixation.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the belief in or worship of fetishes — objects thought to have spiritual or magical powers.
Early anthropologists described the community's fetishism, noting how certain objects were treated as having protective powers.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
a sexual interest in or fixation on a nonliving object or a specific body part (sexual fetishism).
Clinical discussions distinguish normal variation in desire from pathological fetishism when the fixation causes distress or impairment.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 3
an excessive devotion or obsessive reverence for something (figurative use), e.g., fetishism of technology.
Some critics warn against the fetishism of technology, where tools are revered regardless of social consequences.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/12 18:09