salacious

[ suh-ley-shuhs ]

adjective

1. lustful or lecherous.

   Synonyms: libidinous, lascivious, wanton, lewd

   Antonyms: modest

2. (of writings, pictures, etc.) obscene; grossly indecent.

   Synonyms: pornographic

salacious

/ səˈlæsɪtɪ; səˈleɪʃəs /

adjective

1. having an excessive interest in sex
2. (of books, magazines, etc) erotic, bawdy, or lewd

Derived Forms

• saˈlaciousness, noun
• saˈlaciously, adverb

Other Words From

• sa·lacious·ly adverb
• sa·lacious·ness sa·lac·i·ty [s, uh, -, las, -i-tee], noun
• unsa·lacious adjective
• unsa·lacious·ly adverb
• unsa·lacious·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of salacious¹

1635–45; < Latin salāci- (stem of salāx ) lustful (derivative of salīre to jump, move spasmodically, spurt; salient, saltation ) + -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of salacious¹

C17: from Latin salax fond of leaping, from salīre to leap

Example Sentences

Her climb from lifestyle author to homemaking empress, along with her fall and brief imprisonment, spawned endless special reports, gossip columns, parodies, and unauthorized biographies both serious and salacious.

From Salon

Not that the storms led to some irredeemable gaffe or unveiled some salacious scandal.

From Salon

“I’m not going to get into the minutia of how somebody manufactured this, these salacious tabloid lies.”

From Salon

Mark Robinson characterised the CNN report, which alleged that he had referred to himself as a "black Nazi" on an adult forum, as "salacious tabloid lies".

From BBC

Why was it important to include those particular moments and how did you decide where to draw the line between what was fair game and what was too salacious?

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• indecent
• lewd
• obscene
• prurient