What does exotics mean?
"Exotics" is the plural form of "exotic" and most often refers to things—especially plants, animals, or objects—that originate from foreign lands and strike observers as unusual, rare, or strikingly beautiful. Gardeners speak of growing exotics in greenhouses, collectors of acquiring exotics from distant places, and wildlife authorities of regulating exotics kept outside their native ranges. The word carries connotations of allure and novelty but can also imply foreignness or otherness relative to a speaker's own culture. Derived ultimately from the Greek "exōtikos," meaning "from outside," it has been part of English since at least the early seventeenth century, when European exploration made foreign specimens newly accessible. Today it appears frequently in horticulture, zoology, trade, and travel writing.
noun (plural)The plural of "exotic": things, especially plants, animals, or people, that are strikingly unusual or foreign in origin or appearance.
- Plural of exotic: plants, animals, or other things of foreign origin, especially ones that are strikingly unusual or beautiful.
- Plural of exotic (rare): foreign people or outsiders.
"The greenhouse was filled with exotics gathered from botanical expeditions around the world."
"The nursery specializes in exotics such as orchids and carnivorous plants."
"Early modern cabinets of curiosities were crammed with exotics brought back by explorers."
"Exotics" is itself the plural; the singular is "an exotic." It is used almost exclusively with plural verbs.
"These exotics cannot survive frost and must be kept indoors over winter."
From Greek "exōtikos" meaning "from outside" — every time you call something exotic, you're literally saying it comes from beyond your borders.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of exotics
"Exotics" derives from "exotic," which English adopted in the early seventeenth century from Latin "exoticus," itself borrowed from Greek "exōtikos" meaning "from without" or "foreign." The root is the Greek preposition/adverb "exō," meaning "outside." Cognates and related forms include "exotica," a later collective noun for foreign objects, and derivatives such as "exoticism." The plural "exotics" naturally arose to denote multiple foreign or unusual items, particularly in botanical and zoological usage.
Related word forms
How exotics is actually used
Most commonly used in horticultural, zoological, and collecting contexts. In some legal contexts (e.g., US animal regulations), "exotics" refers specifically to non-native animal species kept as pets.
Easily confused with exotics
"Exotics" is simply the plural of the noun/adjective "exotic," while "exotica" is a collective noun referring to a category of unusual or foreign objects and artifacts as a whole.