paraphilia
noun
para·phil·ia
ˌper-ə-ˈfi-lē-ə 
ˌpa-rə-
: a pattern of recurring sexually arousing mental imagery or behavior that involves unusual and especially socially unacceptable sexual practices (such as sadism or pedophilia)
Examples of paraphilia in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
If that’s not strange enough, there’s also ASMR vore, a supposedly soothing variant of the paraphilia that involves wanting to eat or be eaten by another creature.
—
Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 12 Mar. 2025
It's estimated that roughly one third of the population experiments with some form of paraphilia at least once in their lives, with 17 percent regularly engaging in their kinks.
—Andrew Paul, GQ, 24 Apr. 2018
More commonly discussed types of paraphilia are things like pedophilia, zoophilia, and objectophilia.
—Eliza Thompson, Cosmopolitan, 14 Feb. 2018
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Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 12 Mar. 2025
It's estimated that roughly one third of the population experiments with some form of paraphilia at least once in their lives, with 17 percent regularly engaging in their kinks.
—Andrew Paul, GQ, 24 Apr. 2018
More commonly discussed types of paraphilia are things like pedophilia, zoophilia, and objectophilia.
—Eliza Thompson, Cosmopolitan, 14 Feb. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Paraphilia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paraphilia. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
paraphilia
noun
para·phil·ia
-ˈfil-ē-ə
: a pattern of recurring sexually arousing mental imagery or behavior that involves unusual and especially socially unacceptable sexual practices (as sadism, masochism, fetishism, or pedophilia)
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