titillate

(tĭt'l-āt')

v., -lat·ed, -lat·ing, -lates.

v.tr.

1. To stimulate by touching lightly; tickle.
2. To excite (another) pleasurably, superficially or erotically.

v.intr.
To excite another, especially in a superficial, pleasurable manner: "Once you decide to titillate instead of illuminate . . . you create a climate of expectation that requires a higher and higher level of intensity" (Bill Moyers).

[Latin tītillāre, tītillāt-, to tickle.]

titillater tit'il·lat'er n.
titillatingly tit'il·lat'ing·ly adv.
titillation tit'il·la'tion n.
titillative tit'il·la'tive adj.

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Titillate means 'to excite' (Some interesting titles to titillate your literary tastebuds), and often has sexual overtones (especially in the noun derivative titillation), whereas titivate means 'to adorn or smarten' (Striking abstract paintings titivate the otherwise bare walls). Titivate is often mistakenly used for titillate (although the reverse mistake does not occur):

☒ Even now twelve heartfelt pages are titivating the senses of a Dead Letter superintendent—Dylan Thomas, 1933.

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v

Definition: excite, stimulate
Antonyms: disenchant, repulse, turn off

IN BRIEF: Excite pleasurably, especially by touching lightly.

I am all for titillating trivialities. I am all for the epic touch. I could almost say that everything in Time should be either titillating or epic or starkly, supercurtly factual. — Henry R. Luce

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For a list of words related to titillate, see:

• Perversions, Fetishes, and Titillations - titillate: (vb) excite sexually

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See words rhyming with "titillate."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Titillate.

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - kildre, stimulere, pille
v. intr. - stimulere

Nederlands (Dutch)
prikkelen

Français (French)
v. tr. - titiller
v. intr. - titiller

Deutsch (German)
v. - (angenehm) erregen, kitzeln

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - γαργαλίζω, διεγείρω ευχάριστα

Italiano (Italian)
vellicare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - titilar, deleitar

Русский (Russian)
щекотать, приятно возбуждать

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - cosquillear, causar placer, causar titilación
v. intr. - titilar

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - kittla, reta, locka, egga

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
使痒, 呵...痒, 使觉得痒, 使高兴, 觉得痒, 被搔痒

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 使癢, 呵...癢, 使覺得癢, 使高興
v. intr. - 覺得癢, 被搔癢

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 간지럽히다, 기분 좋게 자극하다, 흥을 돋우다
v. intr. - 간지럽히다, 기분 좋게 자극하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - くすぐる, 興をそそる

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يدغدغ‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮דיגדג, גירה, ריגש באופן נעים‬
v. intr. - ‮ריגש אדם אחר, במיוחד באופן שטחי ומענג‬

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