clitoris

== English == === Alternative forms === clytoris, clittoris, cletoris (obsolete) === 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". === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈklɪtəɹɪs/, /klɪˈtɔːɹɪs/ === Noun === clitoris (plural clitorises or clitorides) (anatomy) A sensitive elongated erectile sex organ at the anterior part of the vulva in female humans and other mammals. [from 17th c.] (zoology) A similar erectile sexual organ present in the cloacas of female amniotes. ==== Synonyms ==== See Thesaurus:clitoris ==== Hypernyms ==== genital tubercle - embryological precursor ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== glans clitoridis, glans clitoris os clitoridis praeputium clitoridis ==== Translations ==== === Anagrams === coistril == Dutch == === Etymology === Borrowed from New Latin clītoris, from Ancient Greek κλειτορίς (kleitorís). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈkli.toː.rɪs/ Hyphenation: cli‧to‧ris === Noun === clitoris f (plural clitores or clitorissen, diminutive clitorisje n) clitoris Synonym: kittelaar ==== Related terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== → Indonesian: klitoris == French == === Etymology === Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek κλειτορίς (kleitorís). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /kli.tɔ.ʁis/ === Noun === clitoris m (invariable) clitoris ==== Derived terms ==== clitoridien ==== Descendants ==== → Romanian: clitoris === Further reading === “clitoris”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Interlingua == === Noun === clitoris (uncountable) clitoris == Latin == === Alternative forms === clētoris === Etymology === Learned borrowing from Koine Greek κλειτορίς (kleitorís). === Pronunciation === (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [ˈkliː.tɔ.rɪs] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [ˈkliː.to.ris] === Noun === clītoris f (genitive clītoridis); third declension clitoris ==== Declension ==== Third-declension noun. ==== Descendants ==== → English: clitoris → French: clitoris→ Romanian: clitoris == Portuguese == === Noun === clitoris m (invariable) pre-reform spelling (used until 1943 in Brazil and 1911 in Portugal) of clitóris / clítoris prescribed spelling of clitóris under the Orthographic Agreement of 1931, which was not effectively implemented == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from French clitoris. === Noun === clitoris n (plural clitorisuri) clitoris ==== Declension ====