Word of the Week: Erotic

(Yay for word of the week! We haven’t had one in a very long time. Mad thanks to Living Fire for doing one this week!)

Erotic is a word which is used so often it’s easy to take for granted. Upon looking at a dictionary definition of “erotic”, we get: arousing or satisfying sexual desire; of, pertaining to, or treating of sexual love; subject to or marked by strong sexual desire.

Taking these explanations separately, and considering their unique meaning to each and every one of us can explain why individual perceptions of what exactly is erotic vary so much.

Arousing. What arouses you? It’s unlikely it’s all the same things that get me hot. There’ll probably be some overlap, some common ground. But the imagery, actions or thoughts I may find arousing will likely differ from yours. What satisfies me? For me, I’d probably feel unsatisfied if I didn’t get my quota of pain and roughness in sex, so it’s unsurprising that BDSM themed pictures and stories are erotic to me.

Sexual love. Love, it goes without saying, is a fluid concept; seen in varying lights by different members of society. Some see it as a very simple thing and for others so complex. It can be life altering, or fleeting. Perhaps more interesting, however, is what is sexual? Some people see everything outside of heterosexual intercourse as foreplay. Some would say oral is sex, and some would suggest that even clothed rubbing could be a form of sex. Sexual behaviour is complex; even two people engaged in sexual activity may themselves have differing views on what is or is not sexual.

Desire. To wish, or long for; conveying just how much of sexuality and of what is erotic is captured within the psyche. Try, for a moment, to empty your mind of other thoughts, and think back to the last sexual act you were engaged in. It doesn’t matter if it was self-love or with another (or several others). What time of day was it? Was it hot or cold? Where did you touch? Think deeply about the sensations, the experience, and you will feel it enrobe your mind in sensuality. The mind is a deeply sexual organ, and is at the centre of our sexuality. For something or someone to be “subject to or marked by strong sexual desire” would, to me, suggest they are the one you undress in your thoughts. They are in the sanctuary into which you escape when claiming a moment of the day to consider your carnal longings. Desire is an extremely powerful force, hot and delicious.

Erotic. Let the word be crafted by your tongue and flow from your mouth, tumbling across your lips. Let it trickle down your chest and pool between your legs, nothing more than a word. Erotic.