Pedophile

Pronunciation

• UK enPR: pÄ“d'-É™-fÄ«l', IPA: /ˈpiː.dəˌfaɪl/
• US enPR: pÄ•d'-É™-fÄ«l', IPA: /ˈpÉ›.dəˌfaɪl/, IPA: /ˈpÉ›.doÊŠËŒfaɪl/

Alternative forms

• paedophile British spelling
• pædophile dated

Origin

From - + phile + -, after Ancient Greek παιδόφιλος (from παῖς (pais, "boy, child") and φιλέω (phileō, "I love")).

Full definition of pedophile

Noun

1. An adult who is sexually attracted to children. from 20th c.
• 1982, National Council on Crime and Delinquency, Criminal Justice Abstracts, volume 14‎, page 253:Apart from his sexual behavior, the pedophile is typically law abiding.
• 1986, Patrick B. McGuigan & Jon S. Pascale, Crime and Punishment in Modern America‎, page 109:The pedophile, a particular type of child molester, is an adult whose conscious sexual interests and overt sexual behavior are directly either partially or exclusively toward children.

Usage notes

In the US, the official psychiatric designation for pedophilic disorder (according to the DSM-5) is: "Over a period of at least six months, recurrent, intense, sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges or behaviors involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children."

Synonyms

• childlover euphemistic

Derived terms

• pedophilophile, paedophilophile humorous

Related terms

• pedophilia, paedophilia
• pedophilic, paedophilic
• pederast, paederast
• ephebophile
• pedosexual; pedosexuality