paraphilia

American  

[par-uh-fil-ee-uh] / ˌpær əˈfɪl i ə /

noun

Psychiatry.

1. a type of mental disorder characterized by a preference for or obsession with unusual sexual practices, as pedophilia, sadomasochism, or exhibitionism.

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paraphilia British  

/ ˌpærəˈfɪlɪə /

noun

1. any abnormal sexual behaviour; sexual anomaly or deviation

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Etymology

Origin of paraphilia

1920–25; para- ¹ + -philia, on the model of paranoia

Example Sentences

She said people who commit this sort of aberrant sexual behavior, which she described as a form of paraphilia, were likely to reoffend.

From Reuters

Now there’s an example of paraphilia I can get on board with.

From The Guardian

And of course, Cannon cannot resist the political paraphilia that is the right wing’s obsession with “political correctness,” which many conservatives consider to be an evil force that somehow oppresses white people.

From Salon

One was additionally diagnosed by a state therapist with paraphilia, or sexual urges involving others’ pain.

From Washington Times

Guidelines from the Defense Department currently describe transgender people as having cases of “paraphilia” and sexual deviance.

From Time