clitoris
/ˈklɪtəɹɪs/ noun
Forms clitorises clitorides clytoris clittoris cletoris
- noun (anatomy) A sensitive elongated erectile sex organ at the anterior part of the vulva in female humans and other mammals. “stimulate the clitoris”
- noun (zoology) A similar erectile sexual organ present in the cloacas of female amniotes.
Synonyms
bean butter bean boy in the boat button clit devil's doorbell happy button jewel kernel knob little man in the boat lovebud love button nub nubbin panic button pearl skittle sugar plum sweet spot
Etymology
From post-classical New Latin clītoris (16th century), from Koine Greek κλειτορίς (kleitorís), probably from Ancient Greek κλείω (kleíō, “to sheathe, shut”), in reference to it 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, “to slope”), from the same root as κλῖμαξ (klîmax, “ladder”). But many sources take κλειτορίς (kleitorís) literally as Ancient Greek "little hill".
Webster’s 1913
Etymology [NL., fr. Gr. labia pudendi.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “clitoris”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details