exotic

1 of 2

adjective

ex·​ot·​ic ig-ˈzä-tik How to pronounce exotic (audio)
1
: introduced from another country : not native to the place where found
exotic plants
exotic species creating havoc when introduced into new environments.Chemical & Engineering News
2
: strikingly, excitingly, or mysteriously different or unusual
exotic flavors
Until very recently the alpaca was an exotic sight at county fairs and petting zoos in the metropolitan region.Glenn Collins
3
: of or relating to striptease : involving or featuring exotic dancers
exotic dancing
an exotic nightclub
4
archaic : foreign, alien
exotically adverb
exoticness noun

exotic

2 of 2

noun

plural exotics
1
: one (such as a plant or animal) that is exotic
2
3

Examples of exotic in a Sentence

Adjective She's known for her exotic tastes. the gradual disappearance of exotic lands in a culturally homogenized world Noun Some native species are being crowded out by exotics. the botanical garden boasts an array of horticultural exotics from around the world
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Yet despite being able to drive a different exotic every day of the month, Lee measures true prosperity by the capacity to empower others. Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 23 Mar. 2024 Planted with thousands of native copaiba trees and exotic jackfruits, those blighted hills would eventually become the Tijuca National Park, the largest urban forest in the world. Michael Snyder Pedro Kok, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024 The black dial chronograph, reference 6262 with exotic subdials, has a pre-auction estimate of 200,000 francs to 400,000 francs. Andy Hoffman, Fortune Europe, 20 Mar. 2024 And these are 800 gigabit—exotic, very high performance cables. IEEE Spectrum, 20 Mar. 2024 These habitable ocean worlds turn out to be far more exotic than originally conceived. Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 The longtime head of the National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre, misspent millions of dollars of the organization’s money, using the funds to pay for an extravagant lifestyle that included exotic getaways and trips on private planes and superyachts, a New York jury determined Friday. Jake Offenhartz, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2024 And while nothing beats visiting exotic locations in person, there’s an opportunity here for people who don’t have the time, money or mobility to travel to these destinations without technology. Gideon Kimbrell, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024 Materials matter Eco-friendly building materials don’t have to be exotic. Rachel Kurzius, Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2024
Noun
That is every major expansion that still exists in the game plus the remnants of Forsaken which features a dungeon, raid and a bunch of exotics. Paul Tassi, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 The event highlights a diverse array of vehicles, ranging from classic cars to modern exotics. San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2024 In Brazil, municipal nurseries bypass profitable exotics to prioritize native trees and in Togo, hairdressers are being trained to provide counseling for clients. Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Jan. 2024 Officials ordered him to temporarily re-home his exotics. Maura Judkis, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2023 But Holly did not obtain the permits required by Prince George’s animal control to have exotics in the county, officials said. Katie Mettler, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2023 In the end, said Lena, the makeup was used only to make white actresses who played exotics, such as Hedy Lamarr in White Cargo (1942), intentionally darker. Donald Bogle, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Oct. 2023 Flitting about like the monarchs the area is famous for are streams of classics and exotics sporting one-of-a-kind bodywork and rare engine options. Car and Driver, 16 Aug. 2023 Many Italian exotics weren't officially sold in the U.S. in the 1980s, and gray market importing frequently involved a little hustling. Brendan McAleer, Car and Driver, 8 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'exotic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin exoticus, from Greek exōtikos, from exō

First Known Use

Adjective

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of exotic was in 1600

Dictionary Entries Near exotic

Cite this Entry

“Exotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exotic. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

exotic

1 of 2 adjective
ex·​ot·​ic ig-ˈzät-ik How to pronounce exotic (audio)
1
: introduced from another country
exotic plants
2
: very different or unusual
exotic colors
exotically adverb
exoticness noun

exotic

2 of 2 noun
: something (as a plant) that is exotic

More from Merriam-Webster on exotic

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