erotica
gb/ɪɹˈɑtɪkə/ us/ɪɹˈɑtɪkə/
C1
English
~ 9800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
C1
entity
1
sexually explicit literature or art
Books, stories, pictures, or videos that show or describe sex in a way that is meant to make people feel sexual desire, often in a more artistic or romantic way than pornography.
Usage pattern:
to read/write [erotica]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'erotica' with the adjective 'erotic'. Use 'erotica' as a noun for books, stories, pictures, or films (e.g., 'He reads erotica'), and 'erotic' as an adjective before a noun (e.g., 'an erotic novel'). Another confusion is thinking 'erotica' is always the same as 'pornography'; in many contexts, 'erotica' suggests a more artistic or literary style and can sound less crude than 'porn' or 'pornography'.
Synonyms
erotic literature (More specific to written texts; slightly more formal and descriptive.)
|
adult fiction (Broader; may include erotica but can also mean any fiction for adults, not only sexual.)
|
pornography (Usually suggests more explicit, graphic sexual content and often carries a stronger negative or moral judgment than 'erotica'.)
Antonyms
family-friendly content (Content that is suitable for all ages and avoids sexual material; opposite in terms of sexual explicitness.)
Collocations
read erotica
|write erotica
|online erotica
|gay erotica
|literary erotica
|the erotica genre
Themes
sexuality
|relationships
|media
|arts_entertainment
|communication
Examples
- She started her career writing erotica under a pen name.
- The bookstore has a separate section for romance and erotica.
- Some people argue that erotica focuses more on emotions and relationships than pornography does.
- He publishes short erotica on several online platforms.
- The film mixes art-house drama with elements of erotica.
Learner examples
- She enjoys reading erotica on her e-reader.
- He wants to write erotica for a living.
- This website sells many kinds of erotica.
- The library does not carry erotica in the main area.
- She says erotica can also be about love, not just sex.
Grammar
Dictionary form
erotica
IPA
GB/ɪɹˈɑtɪkə/
US/ɪɹˈɑtɪkə/
Syllables & stress
erot - ica (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ica)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: erotica
- Plural: erotica
Word family
Core family
erotic
adjective B2
Related words
eroticism
noun
erotically
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
unerotic
adjective
Advanced or less common
eroticize
verb
eroticization
noun
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.