An adult who is sexually attracted to children; someone who engages in child sexual abuse.
From Greek 'pais' (child) + 'phile' (lover of). Coined in the late 1800s by psychiatrists to describe a clinical condition; it combines ancient Greek roots with modern medical terminology.
This is a clinical word that emerged from psychology's attempt to name and understand one of humanity's most serious harms—the prefix 'pedo-' (child) appears in many words, but 'pedophile' carries the weight of describing an actual crime against the most vulnerable people.
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