zoophilia: a paraphilia of the stigmatic/eligibilic type in which sexuoerotic arousal and facilitation or attainment of orgasm are responsive to and {contingent on} [dependent upon] engaging in cross-species sexual activities, that is, with an animal [from Greek,
zoon, animal + -philia]. There is no technical term for the cross-species reciprocal paraphilic condition in which an animal mates with a member of the human or other species, although the phenomenon does exist; (
adjective,
zoophilic): the condition of being responsive to, or depending on, sexual activity with an animal in order to obtain erotic arousal and facilitate orgasm: also known as bestiality. Sexual contact (oral or genital). with an animal may occur sporadically in the course of human development without leading to long-term zoophilia.
Synonym,
bestiality.
See also formicophilia.
Dictionary of Sexology Project: Main Index