pedophilia

noun

pe·do·phil·ia ˌpe-də-ˈfi-lē-ə

ˌpē-

: sexual perversion in which children are the preferred sexual object

specifically : a psychiatric disorder in which an adult has sexual fantasies about or engages in sexual acts with a prepubescent child

pedophiliac

ˌpe-də-ˈfi-lē-ˌak

ˌpē-

adjective

or pedophilic

ˌpe-də-ˈfi-lik

ˌpē-

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of pedophilia was in 1906

See more words from the same year

Style

“Pedophilia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pedophilia. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

pedophilia

noun

pe·do·phil·ia ˌped-ə-ˈfil-ē-ə

ˌpēd-

variants or chiefly British paedophilia

ˌpēd-

: sexual perversion in which children are the preferred sexual object

specifically : a psychiatric disorder in which an adult has sexual fantasies about or engages in sexual acts with a prepubescent child

Get Word of the Day daily email!