What does fetishism mean?
Fetishism is a noun describing the practice of attributing special power, significance, or erotic appeal to an object, body part, or material. Its most familiar sense today is psychological: sexual arousal linked to items such as footwear, leather, or fabrics rather than to conventional stimuli. The word also appears in academic discourse — anthropologists originally used it to describe the veneration of physical objects believed to hold supernatural power, and Karl Marx adapted it into 'commodity fetishism,' his influential critique of how market economies obscure the human labor behind goods. Because of these varied uses, fetishism spans clinical psychiatry, cultural anthropology, and social theory. Register matters: in medical writing the term is strictly descriptive and neutral, but in everyday speech calling something 'fetishism' can sound mocking or judgmental. Understanding its multiple senses clarifies discussions across psychology, economics, and popular culture where the word recurs frequently.
nounFetishism is the practice of, or belief in, deriving sexual arousal or gratification from an object, body part, or material that is not inherently sexual. More broadly, it denotes excessive or irrational devotion to a thing, person, or activity.
- Sexual arousal derived from an object, material, or non-sexual body part (clinical/psychological sense).
- Excessive devotion to or reverence for an object, idea, or activity.
- In Marxist theory, the attribution of value or power to commodities independent of the labor producing them ('commodity fetishism').
"The clinic specializes in treating unusual forms of fetishism with cognitive behavioral therapy."
"His interest in vintage leather jackets bordered on fetishism, according to his amused friends."
"Marx's concept of commodity fetishism remains central to critiques of consumer capitalism."
Rare in ordinary use; occasionally appears in clinical or academic plural contexts when discussing multiple distinct fetishes or types of fetishistic behavior, though writers usually prefer singular constructions or refer simply to 'fetishes.'
"The survey catalogued various fetishisms reported across the participant sample."
Karl Marx borrowed 'fetishism' from anthropology to argue that commodities are worshipped like gods — a term once reserved for religious idols now describes everything from shoes to smartphones.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of fetishism
Fetishism derives from 'fetish,' which entered English in the early 17th century via Portuguese 'feitiço' ('charm, sorcery'), itself from Latin 'facticius' meaning 'made by art, artificial.' The term was first applied by European explorers and anthropologists to West African religious objects believed to possess supernatural power. The psychoanalytic sense developed later, in the late 19th century, through the work of clinicians studying sexuality. Cognates include the Portuguese 'feitiço' and related Latin-derived words built on 'facere' ('to make').
Related word forms
How fetishism is actually used
In clinical and psychological contexts, fetishism carries a neutral, diagnostic tone and appears in formal psychiatric literature. Outside of clinical settings, the term can carry pejorative connotations if used dismissively about someone's interests. The word is also used in academic disciplines — notably anthropology and Marxist economics — where it has no sexual connotation at all.
Easily confused with fetishism
'Fetish' refers to the specific object or source of fascination, while 'fetishism' is the abstract noun describing the condition, practice, or phenomenon itself.