titillate

UK: /ˈtɪtɪleɪt/ US: /ˈtɪtəˌleɪt/ ,(tit′l āt′)

Inflections of 'titillate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

titillates

v 3rd person singular

titillating

v pres p

titillated

v past

titillated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

tit•il•late /ˈtɪtəˌleɪt/   v. [~ + object] , -lat•ed, -lat•ing. 

1. to excite agreeably or pleasantly:
   to titillate one's curiosity.

tit•il•lat•ing, adj. 

: The newspaper was filled with titillating stories about her affairs.

tit•il•lat•ing•ly, adv. 
tit•il•la•tion /ˌtɪtəˈleɪʃən/  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

tit•il•late  (tit′l āt′), v.t., -lat•ed, -lat•ing. 

1. to excite or arouse agreeably:
   to titillate the fancy.
2. to tickle;
   excite a tingling or itching sensation in, as by touching or stroking lightly.

• Latin tītillātus, past participle of tītillāre to tickle; see -ate¹
• 1610–20

tit′il•lat′ing•ly, adv. 
tit′il•la′tion, n. 
tit′il•la′tive, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. rouse, tempt, tease.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

titillate / ˈtɪtɪˌleɪt/ verb (transitive)

1. to arouse, tease, interest, or excite pleasurably and often superficially
2. to cause a tickling or tingling sensation in, esp by touching

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin tītillāre

ˈtitilˌlating adjective

ˌtitilˈlation noun