acrotomophilia

English

Etymology

From the (deprecated template usage) [etyl] 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
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}