pederasty

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek παιδεραστία (paiderastía, love of boys), from παιδεραστής (paiderastḗs, pederast), from παῖς (paîs, child, son, boy) + ἐραστής (erastḗs, lover), from ἔραμαι (éramai, to love).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈpɛd.ə.ɹəs.ti/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈpɛd.ə.ɹæs.ti/, /ˈpi.də.ɹæs.ti/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

pederasty (usually uncountable, plural pederasties) (American spelling)

  1. Erotic love, sexually expressed or chaste, between a man and an adolescent boy.
    Antonym: (erotic love between a woman and a girl) korephilia
  2. (archaic) Anal intercourse in general, usually between a man and an adolescent boy.

Usage notes

  • Originally referred to formal practices mandated by Greek customs and laws. Often used in a modern sense for either lawful or transgressive inter-generational love relationships.
  • Often used colloquially to describe sexual abuse that is perpetrated by adult men on underage boys (see pedophilia).

Synonyms

Translations