clitoris
English
Etymology
From post-classical Latin clitoris (16th century), or its source, Koine Greek κλειτορίς (kleitorís), probably from Ancient Greek κλείω (kleíō, “I sheathe, shut”), in reference to its being covered by the labia minora.
The related noun form κλείς (kleís) has a second meaning of "a key, a latch or hook (to close a door)." Wooden pegs were the original keys; a connection also revealed in Latin clavis (“nail”) and claudere (“to shut”) (see close). Some medical sources give a supposed Greek verb κλειτοριάζω (kleitoriázō, “touch or titillate lasciviously, tickle”) literally "to be inclined (toward pleasure)" (compare German Kitzler (“clitoris”, literally “tickler”), related to Greek κλειτύς (kleitús, “shut, closed”), a variant of κλιτύς (klitús, “hillside”), related to κλίνω (klínō, “I slope”), from the same root as κλῖμαξ (klîmax, “ladder”). But many sources take κλειτορίς (kleitorís) literally as Ancient Greek "little hill".
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "UK" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈklɪtəɹɪs/
Audio (Southern England): (file)
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "US" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈklɪtəɹɪs/, [kʰl̥ɪɾəɹɪs]
Noun
clitoris (plural clitorises or clitorides)
- (anatomy) A sensitive elongated erectile organ at the anterior part of the vulva in female humans and mammals, homologous with the penis. [from 17th c.]
- stimulate the clitoris
- She complains that her boyfriend can't find her clitoris.
- 1740, anonymous author, A Dialogue Between a Lady and a Maid:
- Juſt before them, towards the upper Part of the C—t, is a Thing they call Clitoris, which, is a little like a Man's P—k, for it will ſwell, and ſtand like his […] .
- 1999, Natalie Angier, Woman: An Intimate Geography, page 65:
- The average infant clitoris, when measured from the base of the shaft to the top of the glans, is about 4 or 5 millimeters, the height of a pencil eraser.
- (ornithology) A similar erectile sexual organ present in the cloacas of female ratites.
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:clitoris.
Hypernyms
Derived terms
Translations
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Anagrams
Dutch
Etymology
Borrowed from New Latin clitoris, from Ancient Greek κλειτορίς (kleitorís).
Pronunciation
Noun
clitoris f (plural clitores or clitorissen, diminutive clitorisje n)
Related terms
Descendants
- → Indonesian: klitoris
French
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek κλειτορίς (kleitorís).
Pronunciation
Noun
clitoris m (plural clitoris)
- clitoris
- Les personnes qui prennent de la testostérone dans le cadre d’une transition de genre médicale de femme à homme ont également un clitoris dont la taille est au-dessus de la moyenne.
- (please add an English translation of this usage example)
Derived terms
Further reading
- “clitoris”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Interlingua
Noun
clitoris (uncountable)
Romanian
Etymology
Noun
clitoris n (plural clitorisuri)
Declension
singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
indefinite articulation | definite articulation | indefinite articulation | definite articulation | |
nominative/accusative | (un) clitoris | clitorisul | (niște) clitorisuri | clitorisurile |
genitive/dative | (unui) clitoris | clitorisului | (unor) clitorisuri | clitorisurilor |
vocative | clitorisule | clitorisurilor |
- English terms derived from Latin
- English terms derived from Koine Greek
- English terms derived from Ancient Greek
- English 3-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
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- English countable nouns
- English nouns with irregular plurals
- en:Anatomy
- English terms with usage examples
- English terms with quotations
- en:Ornithology
- en:Genitalia
- Dutch terms borrowed from New Latin
- Dutch terms derived from New Latin
- Dutch terms derived from Ancient Greek
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- Dutch nouns with plural in -en
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- Dutch feminine nouns
- nl:Genitalia
- French terms borrowed from Ancient Greek
- French learned borrowings from Ancient Greek
- French terms derived from Ancient Greek
- French 3-syllable words
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- French lemmas
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- fr:Anatomy
- fr:Genitalia
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- ia:Genitalia
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- ro:Genitalia