Priapism
/ˈpraɪ.əˌpɪz.əm/noun
A prolonged, often painful erection that can occur without sexual stimulation.
Did you know?Priapism comes from Priapus, a Greek fertility god whose images were used as protective boundary markers, so the word carries a strange mix of sex, threat, and apotropaic magic.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
GR
Πρίαπος (Priapos)
“Priapus, a fertility god associated with oversized generative power and protective rustic imagery”
Late Latin
LA
priapismus
“Priapism; an abnormal, persistent erection”
Medieval Latin
LA
priapismus
“A medical term for persistent erection”
16th Century
EN
priapism
“A pathological, persistent erection”
Modern English
EN
priapism
“A prolonged, often painful erection, usually requiring medical attention”