mysophilia

mysophilia

English

Etymology

myso- +‎ -philia

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌmaɪsəʊ̆ˈfɪlɪə/
• Rhymes: -ɪlɪə

Noun

mysophilia (uncountable)

1. A sexual dependency on something soiled or filthy, usually a kind of undergarment after use.
   • 1963: National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis (U.S.), The Psychoanalytic Review, p272

     While here filthiness is seemingly a consequence of the fear of being soiled, it is in our cases a consciously wished for situation which might be similar to mysophilia within the psychosexual infantility.

   • 1988: Dennis M. Dailey, The Sexually Unusual: Guide to Understanding and Helping, p17

     Mysophilia, for example, can probably only be an erotic turn-on when it is possible for people to be clean, which is something that has been possible only in comparatively recent times.

   • 2003: Richard W Roukema, MD, What Every Patient, Family, Friend, and Caregiver Needs to Know About Psychiatry, p133

     These paraphilias include coprophilia (preoccupation with feces), urophilia (preoccupation with urine), mysophilia (preoccupation with unclean surroundings)…

Related terms

• mysophile