clitoris

Meaning

1. A sensitive elongated erectile sex organ at the anterior part of the vulva in female humans and other mammals.
2. A similar erectile sexual organ present in the cloacas of female amniotes.

Synonyms

clit

button

vagina

sweet spot

clitty

labia minora

chicken

🐔

Translations

clitoris

Kitzler

Klitoris

clitoride

clítoris

κλειτορίδα

clítoris

clitoris

klitoris

kittelaar

بظر

clitóris

crista

landīca

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈklɪtəɹɪs/

Etymology

Cognate with German: Kitzler

In summary

From post-classical Latin clītoris (16th century), or its source, Koine Greek κλειτορίς (kleitorís), probably from Ancient Greek κλείω (kleíō, “I sheathe, shut”), in reference to it being covered by the labia minora.
The related noun form κλείς (kleís) has a second meaning of "a key, a latch or hook (to close a door)." Wooden pegs were the original keys; a connection also revealed in Latin clavis (“nail”) and claudere (“to shut”) (see close). Some medical sources give a supposed Greek verb κλειτοριάζω (kleitoriázō, “touch or titillate lasciviously, tickle”) literally "to be inclined (toward pleasure)" (compare German Kitzler (“clitoris”, literally “tickler”), related to Greek κλειτύς (kleitús, “shut, closed”), a variant of κλιτύς (klitús, “hillside”), related to κλίνω (klínō, “I slope”), from the same root as κλῖμαξ (klîmax, “ladder”). But many sources take κλειτορίς (kleitorís) literally as Ancient Greek "little hill".