- something, esp an inanimate object, that is believed in certain cultures to be the embodiment or habitation of a spirit or magical powers
- a form of behaviour involving fetishism
- any object that is involved in fetishism
- any object, activity, etc, to which one is excessively or irrationally devoted
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
fet•ish /ˈfɛtɪʃ, ˈfitɪʃ/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
fet•ish•ist, n. [countable]
fet•ish•is•tic, adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Anthropologyan object regarded as having magical power;
talisman. - any object, idea, etc., that one gives reverence or devotion to;
obsession:The town makes a fetish of soccer.
fet•ish•ist, n. [countable]
fet•ish•is•tic, adj.
fet•ish
(fet′ish, fē′tish),USA pronunciation n.
fet′ish•like′, adj.
- Anthropologyan object regarded with awe as being the embodiment or habitation of a potent spirit or as having magical potency.
- any object, idea, etc., eliciting unquestioning reverence, respect, or devotion:to make a fetish of high grades.
- Psychologyany object or nongenital part of the body that causes a habitual erotic response or fixation.
- Portuguese, as above
- Latin factīcius factitious; replacing fatisso, fetisso
- Portuguese feitiço charm, sorcery (noun, nominal), artificial (adjective, adjectival)
- earlier fateish 1605–15
- 1. talisman, amulet.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
fetish, fetich /ˈfɛtɪʃ; ˈfiːtɪʃ/ n
'fetish' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):