hebephilia

H4E1B3E1P3H4I1L1I1A1

noun

A sexual preference for adolescent girls.

OriginAncient Greek φῐλῐ́ᾱ (phĭlĭ́ā) ← English hebe- →
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Meanings

nounhebephilia (uncountable)
  1. dateduncountableA sexual preference for adolescent girls.

    This finding, if confirmed, may offer a useful lead for research in heterosexual pedophilia or hebephilia (a preference for pubescent girls)

    1975 Forensic Science Abstracts - Volume 1 - Page 216
    1 more example

    paraphilias are included: hebephilia (adolescent girls) and ephebophilia (adolescent boys), although the dynamics of these latter two may be closer to those of adult attraction.

    1989 Robert H. Rencken Intervention Strategies for Sexual Abuse page 10
  2. uncountableAdult sexual attraction primarily towards pubescent children and younger adolescents, usually between 10 and 14 years old. Can fall under the same definition as pedophile.

Origin

  1. Englishhebe-
  2. Ancient Greekφῐλῐ́ᾱ (phĭlĭ́ā)
  3. Englishhebephilia

From hebe- (“relating to youth”) + -philia.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

hebephilia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hebephilia

MLA

“hebephilia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hebephilia. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hebephilia,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hebephilia.

Source: hebephilia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.