Salacious
adjective /səˈleɪ.ʃəs/ — Having an undue interest in sexual matters; lurid
Definition
Having or conveying undue or excessive interest in sexual matters — often with the suggestion of lurid attention to detail. Salacious content titillates rather than illuminates; salacious interest is prurient rather than genuine.
Beyond the definition
Salacious is the intellectual word for dirty-minded — it describes the appetite for sexual detail that goes beyond natural interest into something more consuming. The Latin root (to leap) suggests the physical quality of salacious attention.
Origin & history
Latin: salax (lustful, lascivious) from salire (to leap). The leaping quality — literally jumping toward the object of desire. A word that reveals its meaning through its movement.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The tabloid coverage was salacious — it wanted titillation, not information.
Salacious gossip is gossip that has a sexual edge and doesn't want to let go of it.
There's a difference between writing honestly about sex and writing salaciously about it.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Salacious” when the meaning fits your context: Having or conveying undue or excessive interest in sexual matters — often with the suggestion of lurid attention to detail. Salacious content titillates rather than illuminates; salacious interest is prurient rather than genuine.
Synonyms
lewd, prurient, lurid, licentious
Antonyms
restrained, tasteful, decorous
Related words
Salacious vs licentious
Salacious refers to the desire or appetite for scandal. Licentious refers to the actual state of disregarding sexual morality.
Compare this word
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Waiting in a Shadowed Garden
An adult stands in the shadowed corner of a moonlit garden waiting for someone to arrive.
The tension and secrecy of the hidden meeting mirror the prurient, lurid appeal of salacious interest. The focus on the private, urgent, and shadowed nature of the tryst highlights the inclination to prioritize titillating details over substantive, daylight realities.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Salacious" mean?
Salacious is adjective meaning: Having an undue interest in sexual matters; lurid. Having or conveying undue or excessive interest in sexual matters — often with the suggestion of lurid attention to detail. Salacious content titillates rather than illuminates; salacious interest is prurient rather than genuine.
Where does the word "Salacious" come from?
Latin: salax (lustful, lascivious) from salire (to leap). The leaping quality — literally jumping toward the object of desire. A word that reveals its meaning through its movement.