Erotism
/ˈɛr.ə.tɪ.zəm/noun
Sexual desire or arousal, especially in a literary, artistic, or psychological context.
Did you know?Erotism ultimately comes from the name of Eros, the Greek god of sexual love, showing how ancient language often turned gods into concepts.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Grk
Eros
“Desire, sexual love; also the god of love”
Late Greek
Grk
erōtismos
“Sexual desire or passion”
18th–19th Century
French
érotisme
“Erotic feeling or sexual sentiment”
19th Century
English
erotism
“Sexual passion or arousal”