clitoris

clitoris
—clitoral, clitoric /kli tawr"ik, -tor"-, kluy-/, clitoridean /klit'euh rid"ee euhn, kluy'teuh-/, adj.
/klit"euhr is, kluy"teuhr-, kli tawr"is, -tohr"-/, n. Anat.
the erectile organ of the vulva, homologous to the penis of the male.
[1605-15; < Gk kleitorís, akin to kleíein to shut]

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 female erogenous organ capable of erection under sexual stimulation. A female homologue of the male penis, the clitoris develops (as does the penis) from the genital tubercle of the fetus, and it plays an important role in female sexual response.

      The clitoris is a small cylinder about 2 to 3 cm (about 3/4 inch to slightly more than 1 inch) long, containing two small erectile bodies (the corpora cavernosa). In the female fetus, the corpora cavernosa begin as separate entities, but later in fetal development they unite at the midline to form the clitoris proper. During sexual excitement, the corpora cavernosa become engorged with blood, causing erection. The body of the clitoris is suspended from the pubic bone by a short ligament and emerges to form the tiny glans at the top of the vulva (q.v.). This glans has a generous supply of sensitive nerve endings, which account for the clitoris' central role in tactile sexual stimulation.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • clitoris — [ klitɔris ] n. m. • 1611; gr. kleitoris ♦ Petit organe érectile de la vulve, situé à la jonction de l extrémité supérieure des petites lèvres. Ablation du clitoris. ⇒ excision. Abrév. fam. (1972) CLITO . ● clitoris nom masculin (grec kleitoris)… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • clitoris — CLÍTORIS s.n. Mic organ anatomic situat în vulvă, lângă canalul urinar. – Din fr. clitoris. Trimis de cata, 05.04.2007. Sursa: DEX 98  CLÍTORIS s. (anat.) (pop.) lindic. Trimis de siveco, 25.11.2008. Sursa: Sinonime  clítoris s. n …   Dicționar Român

  • clítoris — m. anat. Órgano pequeño, eréctil, alargado y muy sensible del aparato genital femenino; está situado en la región anterior y superior de la vulva, en la unión de los labios menores, formado por dos cuerpos cavernosos. Medical Dictionary. 2011 …   Diccionario médico

  • clitoris — 1610s, coined in Modern Latin, from Late Gk. kleitoris, a diminutive, but the exact sense is uncertain. Perhaps from Gk. kleiein to sheathe, also to shut, in reference to its being covered by the labia minora. The related Greek noun form kleis… …   Etymology dictionary

  • clitóris — s. m. 2 núm. [Anatomia] O mesmo que clítoris …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • clítoris — s. m. 2 núm. [Anatomia] Excrescência erétil na parte superior da vulva. = CLITÓRIDE, CLITÓRIS   ‣ Etimologia: grego kleitorís, ídos …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • clítoris — (plural clítoris) sustantivo masculino 1. Área: anatomía Órgano eréctil, pequeño y carnoso, que sobresale en la vulva …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

  • clítoris — (Del gr. κλειτορίς). m. Cuerpo pequeño, carnoso y eréctil, que sobresale en la parte más elevada de la vulva. ☛ V. prepucio del clítoris …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • Clitoris — Cli to*ris (kl[imac] t[ o]*r[i^]s or kl[i^]t [ o]*r[i^]s), n. [NL., fr. Gr. kleitori s, fr. klei ein to shut up. It is concealed by the labia pudendi.] (Anat.) A small organ at the upper part of the vulva in females, homologous to the penis in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Clitŏris — (Anat.), der Kitzler, s. Klitoris …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Clitŏris — Clitŏris, der Kitzler, s. Klitoris …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

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