verb
- made to seem exotic, foreign, or strangely attractive; presented or portrayed as exotic
Usage: past tense and past participle of exoticize; often used in critical contexts to describe how cultures or people are stereotyped or romanticized
Examples
- The travel brochure exoticized the local culture, presenting it as mysterious and timeless.
- Critics argued that the film exoticized Asian characters rather than portraying them authentically.
- Colonial writers often exoticized the lands they encountered, emphasizing difference over reality.
- The fashion industry has been accused of exoticizing non-Western aesthetics for commercial appeal.
- Museums have faced scrutiny for how they exoticized indigenous artifacts in their displays.