Glossary

The terms you will come across in the plates, explained simply. These definitions give a point of reference; they do not replace the advice of a health professional.

• **Anorgasmia** : Lasting difficulty reaching orgasm, or no orgasm despite sufficient stimulation and arousal. It has very varied causes (stimulation, context, stress, medication, health) and can be worked on. See “When orgasm takes time”.
• **Arousal** : The set of changes in the body and in attention that prepare for pleasure: blood flowing into the vulva, lubrication, swelling, muscle tension. It rises, may subside and rise again. See “The stages of arousal”.
• **Cervix** : The lower part of the uterus, which projects into the end of the vagina as a dome. It is sensitive to pressure in some women, and not in others.
• **Clitoral glans** : The visible part of the clitoris, about the size of a small pea, very rich in nerve endings. For many women it is the most sensitive area of the vulva.
• **Clitoral hood** : A fold of skin that covers and protects the clitoral glans. It draws back more or less as arousal builds.
• **Clitoris** : The organ of pleasure, much larger than it looks: only the glans is visible; the body, two branches (the crura) and two bulbs extend inside, around the entrance of the vagina. See “The body map”.
• **Condom** : A latex or polyurethane barrier that limits the passage of fluids. It exists for the penis (external) and for the vagina (internal). A condom is never reused.
• **Consent** : A free, clear agreement that can be withdrawn at any time. It is checked along the way, with short questions and an agreed word to stop. See “Saying yes, saying stop”.
• **Consistency** : Keeping exactly the same movement, at the same speed and with the same pressure, as orgasm approaches. See “Consistency”.
• **Cunnilingus** : Stimulation of the vulva with the mouth and tongue. See “Kissing the vulva”.
• **Dental dam** : A thin square of latex or polyurethane placed over the vulva or anus to limit the transmission of infections during mouth-to-genital or mouth-to-anus contact.
• **Dyspareunia** : Pain felt during intercourse, at the entrance or deeper. It is never something to simply put up with: it can be located and eased, and calls for a consultation if it persists. See “Painful sex”.
• **Edging** : Approaching orgasm, slowing down or stopping just before it, then building up again. Arousal then rises in waves. It is an empirical practice, not a method validated by clinical studies. See “Edging”.
• **Female ejaculation** : The release of a fluid at the moment of arousal or orgasm in some women. It is neither required nor a sign of success. See “Female ejaculation”.
• **Flared base** : A widening at the end of a toy meant for the anus. It stops the toy from disappearing into the rectum: a toy used in the anus must always have one.
• **Fornix (cul-de-sac)** : A recess in the vaginal wall around the cervix. There are four; clinically, “cul-de-sac” mostly refers to the posterior fornix, the deepest one.
• **G-spot** : An area of the front wall of the vagina, a few centimeters from the entrance, that some women describe as very sensitive. Specialists debate what it really is (a separate area, or the internal extension of the clitoris); its position and sensitivity vary. See “The G-spot”.
• **Lubricant** : A gel or liquid that reduces friction. Water-based, it suits all condoms and toys; silicone-based, it lasts longer but damages silicone toys; oil-based, it weakens latex.
• **Lubrication** : The natural wetness of the vagina, which increases with arousal. It varies with the point in the cycle, age, medication, tiredness and context: having little does not mean lacking desire. See “Lubrication”.
• **Menopause** : The permanent end of periods. The drop in hormones can make the vaginal lining drier and more fragile; lubricants and treatments exist.
• **Multiple orgasms** : Several orgasms following one another at short intervals, sometimes without arousal fully dropping. They are neither a goal nor the norm. See “Multiple orgasms”.
• **Orgasm** : A peak of pleasure marked by involuntary contractions of the perineal muscles, followed by relaxation. It is experienced very differently from one person to another, and from one time to the next.
• **Outer and inner lips (labia majora and minora)** : Folds of skin around the entrance of the vagina. The outer lips are the outermost; the inner lips vary a great deal from one woman to another in size, shape and color.
• **Pelvic floor** : The set of hammock-shaped muscles at the base of the pelvis that support the bladder, uterus and rectum. Tightening and then releasing them can go along with rising pleasure. See “The pleasure muscles”.
• **Perineum** : The muscular area between the vulva and the anus. It is part of the pelvic floor: its muscles contract during orgasm.
• **Sex toy** : An object designed for sexual pleasure (vibrator, vaginal or anal toy, clitoral stimulator…). It should be chosen in a washable, safe material. See “Toy safety”.
• **STI** : Sexually transmitted infection. Some cause no symptoms: only a test will detect them. See “Condoms and STI testing”.
• **Vagina** : The muscular canal that runs from the entrance of the vulva to the cervix. Its walls are more sensitive in the first third, near the entrance.
• **Vaginismus** : Involuntary contraction of the muscles around the entrance of the vagina, which makes penetration painful or impossible. It can be treated, with a health professional.
• **Vulva** : The external genital organs as a whole: the clitoris, the outer and inner lips, the entrance of the vagina and that of the urethra. People often say “vagina” for “vulva”: they are two different things.