acrotomophilia

English

Etymology

From the Ancient Greek ἀκρότομος (akrótomos, “having the top cut off”) + φιλία (philía). Compare acrotomous.

Noun

acrotomophilia (uncountable)

1. (psychology) A paraphilia involving sexual attraction toward amputees.
   • 1985, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary. Subcommittee on Juvenile Justice, Effect of pornography on women and children:

     You have to already be afflicted with the syndrome of acrotomophilia (which has its genesis in childhood) in order to be turned-on by amputation stumps.

   • 1987, Psychological abstracts, volume 74:

     Although there is no adequate explanation of the etiology of acrotomophilia, evidence points to a developmental onset in early childhood...

   • 1990, John Money, Gay, Straight, and In-Between: The Sexology of Erotic Orientation:

     ...the fetishistic attachment is not to an object but to a part of the partner's body, for example the hair or, in the case of acrotomophilia, the stump of an amputated limb.

Usage notes

The plausible antonym *acrotomophobia is not used for “fear or dislike of amputees” (the -philia refers only to a paraphilia); rather, the term apotemnophobia (antonym of apotemnophilia) is used.

Coordinate terms

• apotemnophilia

Translations

sexual attraction toward amputees

• Portuguese: acrotomofilia f