clitoris

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See also: clitóris and clítoris

English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology

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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

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Noun

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clitoris (plural clitorises or clitorides)

  1. (anatomy) A sensitive elongated erectile organ at the anterior part of the vulva in female humans and other 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.
  2. (zoology) A similar erectile sexual organ present in the cloacas of female amniotes.

Synonyms

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See also Thesaurus:clitoris.

Hypernyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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Anagrams

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Dutch

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Etymology

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Borrowed from New Latin clitoris, from Ancient Greek κλειτορίς (kleitorís).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈkli.toː.rɪs/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: cli‧to‧ris

Noun

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clitoris f (plural clitores or clitorissen, diminutive clitorisje n)

  1. clitoris
    Synonym: kittelaar
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Descendants

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  • Indonesian: klitoris

French

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Etymology

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Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek κλειτορίς (kleitorís).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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clitoris m (plural clitoris)

  1. 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.
    People who take testosterone as part of a female-to-male medical gender transition also have a clitoris of above-average size.

Derived terms

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Further reading

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Interlingua

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Noun

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clitoris (uncountable)

  1. clitoris

Latin

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Pronunciation

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Noun

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clītoris f (genitive clītoridis); third declension

  1. clitoris (postclassical)

Declension

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Third-declension noun.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative clītoris clītoridēs
Genitive clītoridis clītoridum
Dative clītoridī clītoridibus
Accusative clītoridem clītoridēs
Ablative clītoride clītoridibus
Vocative clītoris clītoridēs

Romanian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from French clitoris.

Noun

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clitoris n (plural clitorisuri)

  1. clitoris

Declension

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