Is there a word for the mixture of hunger and arousal felt when looking at really delicious food?
The feeling that food-porn incites. It’s not physical hunger (though that would definitely be a related feeling) or a craving, necessarily, but like a visceral feeling of arousal (not sexual) when looking at/reading about/thinking about something delicious.
Is there a word for this, in English or any other language?
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16 Answers
No. I am not aware of a word that describes the combination of hunger and arousal [?].
Plus, generally speaking, when was the word arousal used outside of the sexual context?
Just sayin.
I believe the term is “horngry”. ;)
I think, in context, rapaciousness would fit the bill. It would describe a rapacious hunger for the foods in the context. I’ve felt this many times. There is also ravenous (see corvus) and voraciousness.
“Appetence, appetency… Strong desire; craving; inclination; propensity; esp., an instinctive physical craving, as for food or drink; hunger; relish.” -from The New Century Dictionary 1944 edition.
Lust seems to fit. Although we tend to think of lust in a sexual context, it applies just as to other objects of desire: “It can take such mundane forms as the lust for food as distinct from the need for food. Lust is a psychological force producing intense wanting for an object, or circumstance fulfilling the emotion.” source
Great question! I have this feeling all the time. I get this feeling just by looking at pictures of certain food, without actually needing to eat it, nor without necessarily feeling hunger. Part of it has to do with the photography itself, because I’ve also been known to get a similar feeling when I see certain pictures of winter wooded scenes or beautiful lakes. I’ve always referred to that particular sensation (at least to my friends and maybe a few times on Fluther) as “snow lust” or “lake lust” but I really don’t know if that’s exactly the same thing as what I feel about the food, although in my mind, it pretty much feels the same way.
I think we should make up a suitable term, since lust by itself, just doesn’t seem to be nuanced or broad enough for this particular feeling.
Here is a picture of a Blackberry Fontina and Basil Grilled Cheese that does it for me.
Food woody?
@Kardamom is on the right track… foodies on the web use the hashtag foodboner.
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