fetishize
UK[ˈfet.ɪ.ʃaɪz]US[ˈfet̬.ɪ.ʃaɪz]
v
to treat something with excessive or irrational devotion, reverence, or obsession.
v
to make something into a fetish, especially in a sexual context.
Morpheme Breakdown
fetish
ize
fetish
ize
to make, to become, to treat in a certain way
Etymology
the word 'fetishize' is a modern english formation, combining the noun 'fetish' with the productive verb suffix '-ize'. the journey of 'fetish' begins with the latin adjective 'factitius', meaning 'artificial' or 'made by art', which evolved into the portuguese 'feitiço', signifying a charm or sorcery object. european traders and colonizers adopted this term to describe objects worshipped by west african peoples for their perceived magical powers. in anthropological and later psychoanalytic discourse, the term broadened to denote any object irrationally endowed with supernatural power or, in a secular and often critical sense, an object of obsessive devotion. adding '-ize' transforms this concept into an action, creating a verb that critically describes the act of attributing such excessive, often reductive, power or desire to an object, idea, or person.
Analysis
Structure: fetish + ize
- fetish: from portuguese 'feitiço' (charm, sorcery), via french 'fétiche', ultimately from latin 'factitius' (artificial, made by art). functions as the core noun root.
- ize: from greek '-izein' via latin '-izare', a verb-forming suffix meaning 'to make, to become, to treat in a certain way'.
Examples
some critics argue that modern advertising encourages people to fetishize consumer goods.
it is problematic to fetishize a particular culture's traditions without understanding their context.
the film deliberately avoids fetishizing the violence, focusing instead on its emotional consequences.