/ ˈfetɪʃ; NAmE / noun
1.
(usually disapproving ) the fact that a person spends too much time doing or thinking about a particular thing :
She has a fetish about cleanliness.
He makes a fetish of his work.
2.
the fact of getting sexual pleasure from a particular object :
to have a leather fetish
3.
an object that some people worship because they believe that it has magic powers
► fet·ish·ism noun [ U ]:
a magazine specializing in rubber fetishism
the importance of animal fetishism in the history of Egypt
► fet·ish·ist noun :
a leather fetishist
► fet·ish·is·tic / ˌfetɪˈʃɪstɪk; NAmE / adjective
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WORD ORIGIN
early 17th cent. (originally denoting an object used by the peoples of West Africa as an amulet or charm): from French fétiche , from Portuguese feitiço charm, sorcery (originally an adjective meaning made by art), from Latin facticius , from facere do, make.