clitoris

noun

cli·​to·​ris ˈkli-tə-rəs  kli-ˈtȯr-əs 

plural clitorises also clitorides kli-ˈtȯr-ə-ˌdēz 

: a female erogenous organ that consists of an externally visible, highly innervated small conical structure or glans that lies at the anterior junction of the labia minora above the urethral opening and is continuous internally with a short body of paired cylinders of vascular, erectile tissue which branch into curved extensions or crura attaching to the undersurface of the pubic bones and with two elongated masses of erectile tissue situated near each side of the vaginal and urethral openings

Note: The clitoris develops from the same embryonic mass of tissue as the penis.

clitoral

ˈkli-tə-rəl 

adjective

or less commonly clitoric

kli-ˈtȯr-ik 

-ˈtär-

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek kleitoris

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing clitoris

• glans clitoris

Kids Definition

clitoris

noun

cli·​to·​ris ˈklit-ə-rəs  kli-ˈtȯr-əs 

plural clitorises also clitorides kli-ˈtȯr-ə-ˌdēz 

: a small structure in the sex organs of the female mammal that corresponds to the penis in the male

clitoral

ˈklit-ə-rəl 

adjective

Medical Definition

clitoris

noun

cli·​to·​ris ˈklit-ə-rəs  kli-ˈtȯr-əs 

plural clitorises also clitorides kli-ˈtȯr-ə-ˌdēz 

: a female erogenous organ that consists of an externally visible, highly innervated small conical structure or glans that lies at the anterior junction of the labia minora above the urethral opening and is continuous internally with a short body of paired cylinders of vascular, erectile corpus cavernosum tissue which branch into curved extensions or crura attaching to the pubic arch and with two elongated masses of erectile tissue (the bulb of the vestibule) situated near each side of the vaginal and urethral openings

Note: The clitoris develops from the same embryonic mass of tissue as the penis.

clitoral

ˈklit-ə-rəl 

adjective

also clitoric

kli-ˈtȯr-ik, -ˈtär-