sexual desire
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A desire for sexual intimacy: A psychological state of wanting or longing for sexual activity or closeness with another person. This is a fundamental human drive related to reproduction and emotional bonding.
Usage
- General Use: Used to describe the feeling of wanting sexual contact or intimacy.
- Formal/Clinical Context: Often appears in psychological, medical, or sociological discussions about human behavior and drives.
- Key Consideration: This is a neutral, formal term for the concept. In everyday conversation, people might use simpler or more colloquial terms.
Examples
- Noun:
- The study examined the relationship between hormones and sexual desire.
- A loss of sexual desire can sometimes be a side effect of medication.
- He felt a strong sexual desire for his partner.
Advanced Usage
- "To feel sexual desire": To experience this specific type of longing.
- It is normal to feel sexual desire.
- "Lack of sexual desire": Used to describe a low or absent interest in sexual activity, which can be a topic in medical or relationship contexts.
- The couple sought counseling due to a mismatch in their levels of sexual desire.
Variants and Related Words
- Libido (n): A synonym often used in psychological and psychoanalytic contexts to describe the energy of the sexual drive.
- Freud wrote extensively about the libido.
- Lust (n): Often implies a more intense, passionate, or sometimes purely physical sexual desire, and can have a negative connotation.
- His feelings were based more on lust than love.
- Erotic desire (n): A more literary term focusing on the sensual or aesthetic aspects of sexual longing.
Synonyms
- Sex drive: A more informal term for the overall strength of a person's sexual desire.
- Passion: Can encompass sexual desire but also includes other intense emotions.
- Carnal desire: Emphasizes the physical, bodily nature of the desire.
Related Phrases
- Sexual appetite: A metaphorical phrase comparing desire to hunger.
- He has a healthy sexual appetite.
- Object of desire: A person who is the focus of one's sexual desire.
- She became the object of his desire.
Notes on Meaning
- This term refers specifically to the desire or urge itself, not to the act of sex. It is the feeling that precedes sexual activity.
- It is distinct from love or romantic attraction, although these feelings can be closely connected or intertwined.
Noun
- a desire for sexual intimacy