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Definition of paraphilic

paraphilic

/ˌpær.əˈfɪl.ɪk/
par · a · phil · ic

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paraphilic Lexical Profile

paraphilic Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Relating to or characterized by a paraphilia; involving an atypical sexual interest in objects, situations, or individuals that falls outside of normative human sexual behavior.

Example

"The psychiatric evaluation sought to determine whether the defendant's actions were driven by paraphilic interests."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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Word Nuance & Usage

In modern clinical psychiatry, a critical distinction is made between a 'paraphilic' interest (which is merely atypical) and a 'paraphilic disorder' (which causes significant personal distress or involves nonconsenting individuals).

• Rhymes for paraphilic

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the Greek prefix 'para-' (beside, abnormal) and 'philia' (love, affection), combined with the English suffix '-ic'. The root noun 'paraphilia' was introduced into psychological literature in the early 20th century by Wilhelm Stekel to describe atypical sexual behaviors.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Paraphilic. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/paraphilic
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