Nymphomania is a term that refers to an excessive or uncontrollable sexual desire in women. It is often used in a clinical or derogatory context to describe a condition where a person has an overwhelming need for sexual activity. The term is not used in modern psychological diagnoses, with practitioners preferring terms like hypersexuality.
The word "nymphomania" is derived from the Greek word "nymphē," which means "bride" or "young woman," and the Latin word "mania," meaning "madness" or "mania." Together, they suggest a kind of madness related to sexual desire, specifically in women.