A speaker here mentioned that there had been a "titillating" discussion about health care workers at our annual meeting. Afterward some of my colleagues asked me if she had used the word "titillate" correctly; they thought she should have used "stimulate" and that "titillate" has only a sexual connotation. My first inclination was to say that she used it correctly, and some dictionaries back me up on that; for example, AskOxford says it means "arouse (someone) to mild excitement or interest;" yet, maybe "arouse" there is meant sexually or pleasurably? Beyond that, most dictionaries say something like "to excite pleasurably and erotically."

Now I think that, indeed, she used it wrong. Can "titillate" be used this way, or is it generally used with a sexual connotation?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kalleh,

I know two meanings:

1. To touch (a body part) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements.

2. Excite pleasurably or erotically.

I don't believe either of those meanings is correct here and agree that "stimulate" would be more appropriate.

I suppose it depends on how erotic the discussion about health care workers was. I can't imagine being tittilated by such things, but perhaps the speaker was.

Despite my bawdiness, I had NEVER thought of "Titillate" as erotic. After all, Poe did NOT write, "The tititittillation of the Belles Belles Belles Belles Belles...

Er, goes not the poem you refer to:

To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells
From the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells—
From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.

Although the peeling of the belles does sound nice.

[Fixed typo.]

This message has been edited. Last edited by: zmježd,

Of course, too much unwanted tittilation can lead to tears.

Then she'll be "The belle of the bawl".

quote:

I suppose it depends on how erotic the discussion about health care workers was.

Not too erotic...it was about the use of medication aides in long-term facilities!

So my original inclination was wrong; that discussion was not titillating.

quote:

Originally posted by zmjezhd:
Er, goes not the poem you refer to:

To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells
From the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells,
Although the peeling of the belles does sound nice.

Well, sure, and then I realized that one who gathers statistics for a polymastia study is doing the titty tabulation of the belles, belles, belles, belles....

quote:

quote:
I suppose it depends on how erotic the discussion about health care workers was.

Not too erotic...it was about the use of medication aides in long-term facilities!

OOOhhh - medication aides . . how sexy. LOL