Word
pedophilia
Phoneticspe·dophil·ia
/ˌpɛdəˈfɪɫjə/
UK spelling · paedophilia
Definition
n. a condition where an adult is sexually attracted to children who have not yet reached puberty.
n. a paraphilia involving a primary or exclusive sexual interest in prepubescent children. The term is used in clinical psychology and law to distinguish specific attraction patterns.
Examples
“The court ordered a psychiatric evaluation for pedophilia.”
“Medical professionals distinguish between the psychological diagnosis of pedophilia and the commission of illegal acts.”
“The seminar addressed the complex intersection of clinical pedophilia, criminal justice policy, and the ethical challenges of preventative treatment in modern society.”
Examples
simple
“The court ordered a psychiatric evaluation for pedophilia.”
contextual
“Medical professionals distinguish between the psychological diagnosis of pedophilia and the commission of illegal acts.”
complex
“The seminar addressed the complex intersection of clinical pedophilia, criminal justice policy, and the ethical challenges of preventative treatment in modern society.”
Usage
In British English, the word is spelled 'paedophilia'.
Teaching tip
This is a highly sensitive and clinical term; it should be used carefully and only in appropriate medical, legal, or serious social contexts.
Real-World Examples
“In 2017, he was disinvited from speaking at CPAC, a US conservative conference that also hosted Trump, after footage emerged of Yiannopoulos appearing to condone paedophilia.” “In 2017, he was uninvited from speaking at CPAC , a US conservative conference that also hosted Trump, after footage emerged of Yiannopoulos appearing to condone paedophilia.” Etymology
Adapted from German Pädophilie, bringing its spelling into conformity with pedo- (“child”) + -philia. Compare the Byzantine Greek παιδοφιλία (paidophilía, “love of children”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/pedophilia