fetishfet‧ish /ˈfetɪʃ/ noun [countable] 
a leather fetish2something you are always thinking about or spending too much time doingfetish for/about Sue has a real fetish about keeping everything tidy.
WORD ORIGINfetish
Origin:
1600-1700 French fétiche, from Portuguese feitiço ‘artificial, false’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a foot fetish
- Americans seem to have a fetish for watering their golf courses.
- She told stories about the band's alcoholic binges, their arrests on drug charges, and even about one member's foot fetish.
- According to Gandhi, it is when symbols become fetishes and embodiments of the divine, that they might be construed as idols.
- Female fetishes include male bodily hair, buttocks and odours associated with the male.
- One of the problems with traditional remedial teaching has been that spelling and neatness are fetishes.
Longman Language Activatoran obsession about someone or something
an unreasonably strong and continuous interest in someone or something, so that you cannot stop thinking about them and your behaviour is seriously affected: become an obsession/turn into an obsession: · Julia's desire to stay slim has become an obsession.obsession with/for: · Picasso's obsession with death and sickness greatly influenced his work.· I knew that if I wasn't careful, my obsession for her could destroy me.have an obsession: · Bowman has a dangerous obsession with speed.
a very strong desire for something or interest in something, especially one that affects a lot of people at the same time: mania for: · A mania for a game called Nibs ran through the school.· I had a mania for cleanliness, and once made him stay in all day while I washed all his clothes.religious/gambling etc mania: · Aunt Edna was scathing about her cousin's religious mania.
an unnaturally strong interest in or love for someone or something: fixation with/on: · our fixation with diet and fitness· The killing was the result of Dougherty's four year fixation with a co-worker who would not date him.
a very strong and unusual interest in a particular person, subject, or type of thing: fascination with/for: · What's your sudden fascination with my boyfriend?· Mark has a fascination for all things electrical.
an extremely strong and unreasonable interest in something: fetish for: · Americans seem to have a fetish for watering their golf courses.a foot/hair/animal etc fetish: · She told stories about the band's alcoholic binges, their arrests on drug charges, and even about one member's foot fetish.
a strong interest in one thing, usually because you are worried about it, which means that you cannot pay attention to other things: preoccupation with: · Georgina's preoccupation with her appearance takes up most of her time.· Writing a will is not evidence of a morbid preoccupation with death.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Sue has a real fetish about keeping everything tidy.
1a desire for sex that comes from seeing a particular type of object or doing a particular activity, especially when the object or activity is considered unusual: Sue has a real fetish about keeping everything tidy. a leather fetish2something you are always thinking about or spending too much time doingfetish for/about Sue has a real fetish about keeping everything tidy.