ENGLISH
REFERENCE

exotic

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ɪɡˈzɑtɪk// UK //ɛɡzˈɒtɪk// ex·ot·ic General-service

adj. unusual and exciting because it comes from a far away place or a different culture.

adj. originating in or characteristic of a distant foreign country; strikingly unusual or strange in effect or appearance.


SIMPLE

The market sells many exotic fruits from the tropics.

CONTEXTUAL

She decorated her apartment with exotic plants and colorful rugs she collected during her travels through Southeast Asia.

COMPLEX

While the local flora is charming, the botanical garden's main attraction is its collection of exotic orchids, which require a strictly controlled environment to survive the northern winter.

Synonyms
Origin

Borrowed from Middle French exotique, from Latin exōticus, from Ancient Greek ἐξωτικός (exōtikós, “foreign”, literally “from the outside”), from ἐξω- (exō-, “outside”), from ἐξ (ex, “out of”).

Usage

Typically used to describe things like food, travel destinations, or wildlife that feel foreign and intriguing.

© 2026 English Reference