Paraphilia
/ˌpærəˈfɪliə/noun
Atypical sexual interest or arousal pattern, especially one involving unusual objects, situations, or activities.
Did you know?Paraphilia is built from Greek roots meaning “beside” and “love,” and entered modern sexological vocabulary in the twentieth century rather than coming from an ancient Greek diagnosis.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*per-
“A root associated with passing through, forward movement, or beyond; an ancestor of Greek para.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
παρά (para)
“Beside, alongside, beyond, or contrary to.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
φιλία (philia)
“Affection, friendship, or love.”
19th Century
Scientific Greek
paraphilia
“A modern scholarly formation combining para- with -philia to describe an atypical form of sexual interest.”
20th Century
English
paraphilia
“A term used in sexology and psychiatry for atypical sexual interests or arousal patterns.”
Modern English
English
paraphilia
“A clinical term whose interpretation and classification have changed across modern psychiatric systems.”
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