This term is derived from the Ancient Greek word “exōtikós,” literally meaning “from the outside.” It entered the Dutch language with the meaning of foreign/alien, which it still has today. The term has become intertwined with ideas about the (racialized and sexualized) Other. The term “exotic” is commonly used to describe plants and animals, but is also used for people (usually people of color), where it has a connotation of being different from the norm, especially in reference to appearance and name (for example “what an exotic name!”). Sometimes it has a sensual connotation.