ex·ot·ic
ig-ˈzä-tik 
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
Chemical & Engineering News2
: 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
Glenn Collins3
: of or relating to striptease : involving or featuring exotic dancers
exotic dancing
an exotic nightclub
plural exotics
Synonyms
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 WebNick Vivarelli, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has often praised Bolton for his smarts in the film room and on the field; Spagnuolo even revealed after the season that Bolton helped convince him to change plays and run an exotic blitz during the two-minute warning of Super Bowl LVIII.
—Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2024
The special counsel accused Hunter Biden of failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019 while spending millions of dollars on drugs, escorts, exotic cars and other high-ticket items.
—Tom Hals, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2024
While some python hunters have eaten Florida snakes and restaurants have dabbled with exotic offerings like python pizza over the years, no commercial sale of snake meat is currently allowed.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2024
These are heady days for studying exotic materials, from scrutinizing the second sound of heat to time crystals that persist longer than ever before.
—Isaac Schultz / Gizmodo, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
That’s the driving force behind Synchronic, a movie in which a paramedic (Anthony Mackie) gets enmeshed in a mystery surrounding several people dying or being driven insane by an exotic new designer drug.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2024
The result is Kilt Carter, a triumphant record that connects the mournful tones of the Scottish Highlands with Beyoncé’s love for the exotic musical traditions of nations around the world and their streaming services.
—Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2024
After earning a degree in exotic animal training and management from Moorpark College, she's worked with big cats: bobcats, servals, lions and tigers.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2024
Alex Kwanten, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
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
Adjective
Shooting is set to start April 22 outside Rome on this high-end reboot of Italian writer Emilio Salgari’s exotic epic.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has often praised Bolton for his smarts in the film room and on the field; Spagnuolo even revealed after the season that Bolton helped convince him to change plays and run an exotic blitz during the two-minute warning of Super Bowl LVIII.
—Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2024
The special counsel accused Hunter Biden of failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019 while spending millions of dollars on drugs, escorts, exotic cars and other high-ticket items.
—Tom Hals, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2024
While some python hunters have eaten Florida snakes and restaurants have dabbled with exotic offerings like python pizza over the years, no commercial sale of snake meat is currently allowed.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2024
These are heady days for studying exotic materials, from scrutinizing the second sound of heat to time crystals that persist longer than ever before.
—Isaac Schultz / Gizmodo, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
That’s the driving force behind Synchronic, a movie in which a paramedic (Anthony Mackie) gets enmeshed in a mystery surrounding several people dying or being driven insane by an exotic new designer drug.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2024
The result is Kilt Carter, a triumphant record that connects the mournful tones of the Scottish Highlands with Beyoncé’s love for the exotic musical traditions of nations around the world and their streaming services.
—Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2024
After earning a degree in exotic animal training and management from Moorpark College, she's worked with big cats: bobcats, servals, lions and tigers.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2024
Noun
There’s also a choice selection of classic and modern Porsches right at the front entrance to the main floor and the usual set of exotics from Karma, Lotus, Bentley and others.
—Alex Kwanten, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
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
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.
Dictionary Entries Near exotic
Cite this Entry
“Exotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exotic. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
exotic
1 of 2 adjective
ex·ot·ic
ig-ˈzät-ik
1
: introduced from another country
exotic plants
2
: very different or unusual
exotic colors
exotic
2 of 2 noun
: something (as a plant) that is exotic
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share