英和和英

語源

From post-classical Latin clītoris (16th century), or its source, Koine Greek κλειτορίς (kleitorís), probably from Ancient Greek κλείω (kleíō, “I 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, “I slope”), from the same root as κλῖμαξ (klîmax, “ladder”). But many sources take κλειτορίς (kleitorís) literally as Ancient Greek "little hill".

発音

• IPA: /ˈklɪtəɹɪs/, /klɪˈtɔːɹɪs/

名詞

clitoris (plural clitorises or clitorides)

1. (anatomy) A sensitive elongated erectile sex organ at the anterior part of the vulva in female humans and other mammals. [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.

同意語

• See Thesaurus:clitoris

上位語

• genital tubercle - embryological precursor

派生語

関連する語

• glans clitoridis, glans clitoris
• os clitoridis
• praeputium clitoridis

アナグラム

• coistril

発音

• (Classical Latin) IPA: [ˈkliː.tɔ.rɪs]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA: [ˈkliː.to.ris]

名詞

clītoris f (genitive clītoridis); third declension

1. clitoris (postclassical)

語形変化

Third-declension noun.

派生した語

• → English: clitoris
• → French: clitoris
  • → Romanian: clitoris