Clitoris
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A woman's clitoris extends from the visible portion to a point below the pubic bone. |
The
clitoris is a female
sexual organ. In humans, the visible knob-like portion is located near the
anterior junction of the
labia minora, above the opening of the
vagina. Unlike the
homologous male organ (the
penis), the clitoris does not contain the
distal portion of the
urethra and functions solely to induce
sexual pleasure. The only known exception to this is in the
Spotted Hyena, where the
urogenital system is modified so that the female urinates, mates and gives birth via an enlarged,
erectile clitoris.
The word:
*pronunciation: KLIHT uh rihs ( in
IPA notation )) or klih TOHR ihs ( )). The
OED suggests that KLY tor ihs () is also used in the
UK.
*plural forms:
clitorises in English,
clitorides in Latin
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The internal anatomy of the human vulva, with the clitoral hood and labia minora indicated as lines. |
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Photograph of a human vulva showing the glans clitoris. In many cases the clitoral hood completely covers the glans, as seen in the photo below. |
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A photograph of a human vulva, with the clitoris obscured by the clitoral hood and folds of the labia minora. |
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Muscles of the female perineum. (Clitoris labeled at top.) |
The female clitoris corresponds to homologous parts of the male penis, i.e.,
embryologically it comes from the same tissue that forms the penis. The
trigger for forming a penis instead of a clitoris is the action of
testosterone in utero.
The organ is formed out of
corpus cavernosum, a rich collection of
capillary tissue with a substantial presence of
nerve tissue. It contains roughly the same number of
nerve endings as the penis[
1], and it is particularly well-suited for
sexual stimulation.
The outside portion of the clitoris, the
clitoral glans, is entirely or partially covered by the
clitoral hood or
prepuce, tissue that is homologous to the
foreskin in males. In humans, the
clitoral body then extends several
centimeters upwards and to the back, before splitting into two arms, the
clitoral crura. Shaped like an inverted "V", these crura extend around and to the interior of the
labia majora. Including external and internal components, it is thought the clitoris is similar in size to the penis.
Most of the clitoris is hidden, and external stimulation of the entire clitoris can result in a more profound sexual response. There is considerable variation among women with regard to how much of the clitoris protrudes from the hood and how much is covered by it, ranging from complete, covered invisibility to full, protruding visibility. One explanation advanced for the
vaginal orgasm is that it results from stimulation of the internal parts of the clitoris during vaginal penetration. Nevertheless, some women experience both clitoral and vaginal orgasms and distinguish between them in terms of both the physical and general sensations associated with each.
During sexual arousal, the clitoris enlarges as its
erectile tissue fills with
blood. Shortly before
orgasm, this erection often increases further, drawing the clitoris upwards, so that viewed from the outside it actually appears to shrink.
Medical literature first recognised the existence of the clitoris in the
16th century. This is the subject of some dispute:
Realdo Colombo (also known as Matteo Renaldo Colombo) was a
lecturer in
surgery at the
University of Padua,
Italy, and in
1559 he published a book called
De re anatomica in which he described the "seat of woman's delight". Colombo concluded, "Since no one has discerned these projections and their workings, if it is permissible to give names to things discovered by me, it should be called the love or sweetness of
Venus."
Colombo's claim was disputed by his successor at
Padua,
Gabriele Falloppio (who discovered the
fallopian tube), who claimed that he was the first to discover the clitoris.
Caspar Bartholin, a
17th century Danish
anatomist, dismissed both claims, arguing that the clitoris had been widely known to
medical science since the
2nd century. It was also known to the Romans, who named it
landica.
Noted researchers
Masters and Johnson conducted extensive studies of the clitoris.
In the
1970s, the word
clitoris was considered offensive in the spoken
English language and is still seen as a
taboo word by many people. The first use of
clitoris on
television in the
United States is believed to have been by Dr. Rich O'Brien, a
Harvard colleague of Garabedian's, on the
Dr. Ruth Westheimer show.
Main article: genital modification and mutilation
The external part of the clitoris may be partially or totally removed during
female circumcision (also known as a clitoridectomy or female genital mutilation (FGM) in voluntary or involuntary procedures. The topic is highly controversial with many countries condemning the traditions that give rise to involuntary procedures, and with some countries outlawing even voluntary procedures.
Amnesty International estimates that over 2 million involuntary female circumcisions are being performed every year, mainly in
African
countries.
In various cultures, the clitoris is sometimes
pierced directly. Other piercings may include a
Clitoral hood piercing and the
Isabella piercing, among many others. Some cultures at various times in history have practiced stretching, which can enlarge the clitoris, or can make it more visible.
The use of
anabolic steroids by female bodybuilders and the like can result in significant enlargement of the clitoris in concert with other masculinizing effects on the female body.
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WikiSaurus:clitoris — the
WikiSaurus list of synonyms and slang words for the clitoris in many languages
*
Glans penis*
Clitoromegaly*
G-spot*
Skene's glands
*
Clitoridectomy*
Clitoral hypertrophy*
:Image:VulvaDiagram-800.jpg*
The-Clitoris.com – a very thorough website about everything related to the clitoris
*
Study claims clitoris is larger than thought by Althaea Yronwode
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Pink Parts - "Walk through" of female sexual anatomy by noted sex activist and educator Heather Corinna
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Etymology of the word "Clitoris"Illustrations
*
The Ciba Collection of Medical Illustrations: Vol.2, Reproductive System by Frank H. Netter, M.D. comparing female and male reproductive systems development and anatomy
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Illustrations from Clinical Anatomy Principles by Lawrence H. Mathers, Jr. et al. comparing clitoris and penis anatomy
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Development of the Female Sexual & Reproductive Organs – illustrations comparing clitoris and penis during the early development
