nymphomaniac

A nymphomaniac is a woman described as having excessive sexual desire. The English noun is formed from nymphomania plus -ac; a surface analysis also divides it as nympho- + -maniac.

Nymphomania was borrowed from New Latin, built from Latin nympha and -mania. The related combining form nympho- reflects New Latin vocabulary from Ancient Greek νύμφη (númphē), meaning “bride, young woman, adolescent girl.” The suffix -ac came through Middle French -aque and Latin -acus from Ancient Greek -ακός (-akós), an adjective-forming ending. The related suffix -maniac describes a person experiencing a mania or compulsion.

The label belongs to a history of changing terminology: nymphomania has been used historically for women, while satyriasis was used for men. The broader term hypersexuality is also used, but whether it should be treated as a clinical diagnosis remains controversial.