Dictionary.com

dyspareunia

[ dis-puh-roo-nee-uh ]
/ ˌdɪs pəˈru ni ə /
Save This Word!

noun Medicine/Medical.

painful sexual intercourse.

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON “ITS” VS. “IT’S”!

Apostrophes can be tricky; prove you know the difference between it’s and its in this crafty quiz!
Question 1 of 12
On the farm, the feed for chicks is significantly different from the roosters’; ______ not even comparable.
it's
its
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of dyspareunia

First recorded in 1870–75; dys- + Greek páreun(os) “bedfellow” + -ia

Words nearby dyspareunia

dysontogenesis, dysorexia, dysosmia, dysostosis, dysostosis multiplex, dyspareunia, dyspathy, dyspepsia, dyspeptic, dysphagia, dysphagocytosis
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for dyspareunia

  • In dyspareunia the sexual act can be freely indulged in, only the act is painful or disagreeable.

    Woman|William J. Robinson

  • The origin of the word dyspareunia shows that this may be the case, for dyspareunos in Greek means badly mated.

    Woman|William J. Robinson

Medical definitions for dyspareunia

dyspareunia
[ dĭs′pə-rōō′nē-ə ]

n.

Difficult or painful sexual intercourse.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Get Online Help For Kids!