MedTerms Medical Dictionary

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Female orgasmic dysfunction: Failure of a female to achieve an orgasm (climax) during sexual intercourse. This disorder can originate in psychological or emotional problems such as stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue, worry, guilt, fear of painful intercourse and fear of pregnancy. It can also develop from the undesirability of a partner, the undesirability of a setting, and the use of alcohol or drugs.

Alternate names for this disorder are anorgasmia and anorgasmy. In addition, female orgasmic dysfunction is sometimes referred to as frigidity, although the latter term implies a broader problem that may be characterized in part by aversion to sexual intercourse.

"Orgasm-" is derived from the Greek "orgasmos" (swell) and "orgein" (to be lustful). "The suffix "-ic" is derived from the Greek "ikos," meaning "having to do with." "Dys-" is derived from a Greek prefix of the same spelling. It means "ill" or "bad."

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