catamite

English

Etymology

From Latin catamītus (“boy kept as a sexual partner”), from Catamītus, from Etruscan 𐌂𐌀𐌕𐌌𐌉𐌕𐌄 (Catmite), from Ancient Greek Γανυμήδης (Ganumḗdēs, “Ganymede”), an attractive Trojan boy supposedly abducted to Mount Olympus by the god Zeus to become his cupbearer and lover.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkatəmʌɪt/
• IPA^(key): /ˈkætəmaɪt/, [ˈkʰæɾəmaɪt]
• IPA^(key): [ˈkʰæɾəmʌɪt]

Noun

catamite (plural catamites)

1. A boy or younger man in a homoerotic relationship with an older man. [1552]
   • 2007 July 4, Mere Smith, Rome, “Heroes of the Republic”:

     Lyde: And what about your brother? – Is he to be a catamite?

Synonyms

• punk, gunsel; see also Thesaurus:male homosexual

Derived terms

• catamitism

Translations

catamite

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 孌童／娈童 (zh) (luántóng), 娈童 (zh) (luántóng)

• Finnish: katamiitti
• French: catamite (fr) m
• German: Lustknabe (de) m
• Greek:

  Ancient: μαλακός m (malakós), ἐρώμενος m (erṓmenos)

• Hebrew: קָדֵשׁ (he) m (qadésh)
• Japanese: 陰間 (かげま, kagema), 稚児 (ja) (ちご, chigo)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Latin: catamītus m, pathicus m, delicium n, glaber m
• Mongolian: ᠠᠷᠤᠤᠬᠠᠨ
  ᠬᠥᠪᠡᠭᠦᠨ (aruuqan köbegün), аруухан хөвгүүн (aruuxan xövgüün)
• Pashto: چسکه
• Persian: بچه‌قشنگ (baččeqašang), بچه‌خوشگل (baččexošgel)
• Portuguese: catamita m
• Russian: катами́т (ru) m (katamít)
• Sanskrit: विदूषक (sa) m (vidūṣaka)
• Spanish: catamito m
• Turkish: oğlan (tr)
• Uyghur: ھەزىلەك (hezilek)

See also

• pathic

References

• “catamite, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, 2018.