Definition
A person, typically a woman, with an abnormally excessive desire for sexual activity.
Etymology
From Greek 'nymphē' meaning 'bride' or 'young woman' plus 'mania' meaning 'madness' or 'excessive desire.' The term was coined in the 18th century as a medical designation, though it reflected the gender biases of the era in pathologizing female sexuality.
Kelly Says
The term reflects historical double standards - while 'nymphomaniac' pathologized women's sexual desire, there was no equivalent term widely used for men until 'satyromania.' Modern psychology has largely moved away from these gendered diagnostic terms in favor of more neutral terminology like 'hypersexual disorder.'
Translations
AMአማርኛ
ኒምፎማኒያ
nīmfomaniyā
ARالعربية
نymphomaniac
nymphomaniac
BNবাংলা
নিম্ফোমেনিয়া
nimpʰomeniya
CACatalà
ninfòmana
ninfɔˈmɔnə
CSČeština
nymphomanka
nʊmfɔmaŋka
DADansk
nymphoman
nyˈmfoːˀmɑn
DEDeutsch
Nymphomanin
nʏmfoˈmaːnɪn
ELΕλληνικά
νυμφομανής
nymphomanís
ESEspañol
ninfómana
nimfoˈmana
FAفارسی
نیمفومانیا
nymphomaniyā
FISuomi
nymphomaani
nymphomaani
FRFrançais
nymphomane
nɪmfɔman
GUGU
નિમ્ફોમેનિયા
nimpʰomeniyā
HAHA
nymphomaniac
nymphomaniac
HEעברית
נימפומנית
nimfumaniṭ
HIहिन्दी
निम्फोमेनिया
nimphomeniyā
HUMagyar
nimfomán
nimfoːmaːn
IDBahasa Indonesia
ninfomania
ninfomania
IGIG
nymphomaniac
nymphomaniac
ITItaliano
ninfomane
ninfɔˈmaːne
JA日本語
ニンフーマニア
nin fu mania
KKKK
нимфомания
nʲimfɐˈmanɪjɐ
KMKM
និមផូម៉ានី
nimpʰomaːni
MRMR
निम्फोमेनिया
nimpʰomeniyā
MSBahasa Melayu
ninfomania
ninfomania
MYမြန်မာ
နင်ဖိုမေးနီးယား
nainphomyēnīyā
NLNederlands
nymphomane
nʏmfoːˈmaːnə
NONorsk
nymphoman
nʏmfoˈmɑn
PAPA
ਨਿਮਫੋਮੇਨੀਆ
nimpʰomeniyā
PLPolski
nymphomanka
nʊmfɔˈmaŋka
PTPortuguês
ninfomaníaca
nĩfɔmɐˈniɐkɐ
RORomână
ninfomană
ninfomaˈnə
RUРусский
нимфоманка
nʲimfɐˈmankɐ
SVSvenska
nymphoman
nʏmfɔman
SWKiswahili
nymphomaniac
nymphomaniac
TAதமிழ்
நிம்போமேனியா
nimpōmeniyā
TEతెలుగు
నిమ్ఫోమేనియా
nimpʰomeniyā
THไทย
นิมโฟมาเนีย
nimphomaniya
TLTL
nymphomaniac
nymphomaniac
TRTürkçe
nymphomaniak
nɪmfɔmaniak
UKУкраїнська
німфоманка
nʲimfɔˈmɑŋkɐ
URاردو
نیمفومینیا
nymphomaniya
VITiếng Việt
nymphômani
nymphômani
YOYO
nymphomaniac
nymphomaniac
ZH中文
性欲过强
xìng yù guò qiáng
ZUZU
nymphomaniac
nymphomaniac
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Medical term pathologizing female sexual desire, rooted in 19th-century psychiatry that medicalized women's sexuality as disorder. No male equivalent carries equivalent stigma ('satyriasis' is rarely deployed clinically). Encodes misogynistic assumptions about 'normal' female desire.
Inclusive Usage
Avoid diagnostic use outside strict historical/medical analysis. Use 'hypersexuality,' 'compulsive sexual behavior,' or specific clinical terms if medically necessary. Never use as judgment.
Inclusive Alternatives
["hypersexuality","compulsive sexual behavior","sex addiction"]
Empowerment Note
Women's sexuality, particularly autonomous or frequent desire, was pathologized by male-dominated medicine to enforce sexual restraint and control.