paraphilia

noun

para·​phil·​ia ˌper-ə-ˈfi-lē-ə 

ˌpa-rə-

: a pattern of recurring sexually arousing mental imagery or behavior that involves unusual and especially socially unacceptable sexual practices (such as sadism or pedophilia)

paraphiliac

ˌper-ə-ˈfi-lē-ˌak 

ˌpa-rə-

adjective or noun

or paraphilic

ˌper-ə-ˈfi-lik 

ˌpa-rə-

Examples of paraphilia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Additional drug paraphilia was also found in the vehicle, according to police. —Bay City News Service, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024

For those with paraphilia, the burglary is a cover story. —Tribune News Service, oregonlive.com, 22 June 2019

It's estimated that roughly one third of the population experiments with some form of paraphilia at least once in their lives, with 17 percent regularly engaging in their kinks. —Andrew Paul, GQ, 24 Apr. 2018

More commonly discussed types of paraphilia are things like pedophilia, zoophilia, and objectophilia. —Eliza Thompson, Cosmopolitan, 14 Feb. 2018

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

paraphilia

noun

para·​phil·​ia -ˈfil-ē-ə 

: a pattern of recurring sexually arousing mental imagery or behavior that involves unusual and especially socially unacceptable sexual practices (as sadism, masochism, fetishism, or pedophilia)