nymphomaniacal

C2+ Topic:Register & Style
US /ˌnɪm.fə.məˈnaɪ.ə.kəl/ UK /ˌnɪm.fə.məˈnaɪ.ə.kəl/
adj Freq #266403

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    dated, offensive, and usually applied to a woman: supposedly having excessive or uncontrollable sexual desire

    The narrator dismisses the woman as nymphomaniacal, using a dated and sexist label rather than describing her fairly.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 adj · dated, offensive, and... hypersexualsexually compulsive
Word family
Forms nymphomaniacnymphomaniacs
Related forms nymphomanianymphomaniachypersexualitysatyriasis

Etymology

Formed from nymphomaniac + -al, after nymphomania. Nymphomania combines Greek nymphe, 'young woman or bride,' with mania, 'madness.' Once treated as a medical diagnosis for supposedly excessive female desire, the term is now dated, gendered, and often offensive; nymphomaniacal commonly survives as a hyperbolic insult.

Topics

markdown

Send feedback

Optional — only if you'd like a reply.