What does exoticness mean?
Exoticness is the quality of being exotic — that is, strikingly different, colorful, or alluring because it originates in or evokes a distant, unfamiliar place. It applies to landscapes, cuisines, plants, animals, customs, art, and even styles of music or dress, wherever their foreign origin lends them an air of novelty and fascination. The word carries a broadly positive, appreciative connotation, suggesting beauty and intrigue rather than mere strangeness, though modern usage sometimes questions the romanticizing of other cultures implied by the idea. Exoticness functions as an abstract noun, most often appearing in phrases such as 'the exoticness of the landscape'. While it is fully standard English, it is somewhat formal and literary; the near-synonym 'exoticism' is more frequent in critical and scholarly contexts, and writers frequently prefer the simpler adjective 'exotic' altogether.
nounThe quality or state of being exotic; the striking attractiveness of something originating in or characteristic of a distant foreign place.
- The quality of being strikingly unusual, colorful, or attractive because it comes from a distant or unfamiliar place.
- The quality of being strange or unfamiliar in general.
"The exoticness of the spice market drew travelers from across Europe."
"Visitors marveled at the exoticness of the orchids displayed at the botanical garden."
"The film's exoticness lies less in its setting than in its dreamlike pacing."
Almost never pluralized; the word is used almost exclusively as an uncountable mass noun.
"The travel writer catalogued the exoticnesses of a dozen distant ports."
'Exotic' traces back to the Greek 'exōtikos', meaning simply 'from outside' — so exoticness literally describes the quality of being from somewhere else.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of exoticness
Exoticness derives from the adjective 'exotic', which entered English in the late 16th to early 17th century from Latin 'exoticus', itself borrowed from Greek 'exōtikos', meaning 'from outside' or 'foreign', formed on Greek 'exō' ('outside'). The suffix '-ness', of Old English origin, converts adjectives into abstract nouns denoting a quality or state. Cognates and related forms include 'exoticism' and 'exotica', all sharing the same Greek root.
Related word forms
How exoticness is actually used
A formal, somewhat literary word. In everyday speech and writing, 'exoticism' is considerably more common, and 'exotic' itself often stands in where the abstract noun would be redundant.
Easily confused with exoticness
Exoticism is the established term for exotic qualities as an aesthetic or artistic movement, while exoticness is the plain abstract noun for simply being exotic.