frigidity

frigidity
/fri jid"i tee/, n.
1. the state or condition of being frigid.
2. (in women) inhibition, not caused by a physical disorder or medication, of sexual excitement during sexual activity.
[1400-50; late ME frigidite coldness ( < MF fregidité) < LL frigiditas; see FRIGID, -ITY]

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      in psychology, the inability of a woman to attain orgasm during sexual intercourse. In popular, nonmedical usage the word has been used traditionally to describe a variety of behaviours, ranging from general coldness of manner or lack of interest in physical affection to aversion to the act of sexual intercourse. Because of the derogatory connotations that have become associated with the term frigidity, it has been replaced in the vocabulary of sex therapists by the general term hypogyneismus, the inability of a woman to obtain sexual satisfaction under otherwise appropriate circumstances.

      The lay term frigidity encompasses three distinct problems recognized by sex therapists: inability to experience a sexual response of any kind; ability to achieve sexual arousal only with great difficulty (hyposexuality); and the inability to achieve orgasm (anorgasmia). Failure of sexual response in females—as in males—may have specific physical sources; such is the case of women who experience vaginal spasms ( vaginismus) or pain ( dyspareunia) during attempted intercourse. Likewise, female sexual response may be impaired by purely psychological causes, triggered by emotional conflicts outside the sexual relationship or by anxiety and other stresses within the relationship. See also sexual dysfunction.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Frigidity — Fri*gid i*ty, n. [L. frigiditas: cf. F. frigidit[ e].] 1. The condition or quality of being frigid; coldness; want of warmth. [1913 Webster] Ice is water congealed by the frigidity of the air. Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster] 2. Want of ardor,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • frigidity — early 15c., from Fr. frigidité (15c.), from L.L. frigiditatem (nom. frigiditas) the cold, from L. frigidus cold (see FRIGID (Cf. frigid)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • frigidity — frigid ► ADJECTIVE 1) very cold. 2) (of a woman) unable to be sexually aroused. 3) stiff or formal in style. DERIVATIVES frigidity noun frigidly adverb. ORIGIN Latin frigidus, from frigere be cold …   English terms dictionary

  • frigidity — noun Date: 15th century the quality or state of being frigid; specifically marked or abnormal sexual indifference especially in a woman …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • frigidity — noun a) The state of being frigid; coldness; lack of heat. b) Coldness of feeling, manner or quality; lack of ardor, animation or vivacity; chilliness; dullness …   Wiktionary

  • Frigidity — Failure of a female to respond to sexual stimulus; aversion on the part of a woman to sexual intercourse; failure of a female to achieve an orgasm (anorgasmia) during sexual intercourse. This disorder can stem from psychological or emotional… …   Medical dictionary

  • frigidity — I (Roget s IV) n. Syn. impassivity, coldness, aloofness, stiffness; see indifference 1 . II (Roget s Thesaurus II) noun Extreme lack of warmth: frigidness, frostiness, gelidity, gelidness, iciness, wintriness. See HOT …   English dictionary for students

  • frigidity — fri·gid·i·ty || frɪ dʒɪdÉ™tɪ n. cold, coldness, chill; unfriendly manner; sexual unresponsiveness …   English contemporary dictionary

  • frigidity — n. 1. Coldness, coolness, chilliness, frigidness, gelidity, gelidness, low temperature. 2. Dulness, frigidness, lifelessness, want of animation. 3. Frigidness, formality, primness, stiffness, rigidity, repelling manner, forbidding manner,… …   New dictionary of synonyms

  • frigidity — n 1. chill, coldness, cold, gelidity, al gidity, iciness, frozenness; bitterness, rawness, sharpness. 2. indifference, apathy, inertia, lifelessness, tameness, dullness; imperturbability, imperturbation, stoniness, callousness, obdurateness,… …   A Note on the Style of the synonym finder

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