In amniotes, the clitoris (pronounced /ˈk l ɪ t ər ɪ s/ KLIT-ər-iss or /k l ɪ ˈ t ɔːr ɪ s/ klih-TOR-iss; plural: clitorises or clitorides) is a female sex organ. In humans, it is the most sensitive part of the vulva and is the main source of sexual pleasure for females. The clitoris is a complex structure, and its size and sensitivity can vary. The visible part, called the glans, is usually about the size and shape of a pea and has more than 10,000 nerve endings. Sometimes, people use the words "clitoris" or "clit" to refer only to the glans.
Experts in sex, medicine, and psychology have discussed the clitoris, including how society views it and its role in the body. These discussions include topics like correct understanding of body parts, issues such as unfair treatment of women, harmful practices, and how the G-spot works. The only known purpose of the human clitoris is to provide sexual pleasure.
What people know about the clitoris depends on how it is viewed in different cultures. Research shows that people know less about the clitoris than about other body parts, especially male ones. Teaching more about it could help reduce beliefs that it is not nice to look at or that women should not masturbate.
The clitoris is similar in structure to the penis in males.
Etymology and terminology
The Oxford English Dictionary explains that the word "clītoris" in Neo-Latin likely comes from the Ancient Greek word κλειτορίς (kleitorís), which means "little hill." This word may have been inspired by the Greek verb κλείειν (kleíein), meaning "to shut" or "to sheathe." The word "clitoris" is also connected to the Greek word κλείς (kleís), meaning "key," suggesting that ancient scientists saw it as important to female sexuality. The Online Etymology Dictionary also mentions other possible Greek origins, such as a word for "latch" or "hook," and a verb meaning "to touch or tickle." The Oxford English Dictionary notes that the shortened form "clit," first used in the United States, appeared in printed materials as early as 1958. Before that, people often used "clitty" as an abbreviation. Other informal names for the clitoris include "bean," "nub," and "love button." The term "clitoris" is often used to describe only the glans. In recent scientific studies, the clitoris is sometimes called the "bulbo-clitoral organ."
Structure
The clitoris has both internal and external parts. In humans, it includes the glans (the head or tip), the body (made of two sponge-like structures called the corpora cavernosa), the prepuce (a fold of skin that covers the glans), and the root (the base of the clitoris). The frenulum is a small band of tissue located under the glans.
Studies show that clitoral tissue extends into the front wall of the vagina. Research by Şenaylı et al. explains that for many years, scientists believed the clitoris was not a fully functional organ, which led to incomplete studies of its tissue. Later, Baskin and others used imaging software and detailed dissections to examine the clitoris. Their findings revealed that nerves surround the entire clitoral body.
The clitoris, along with its bulbs, labia minora, and urethra, contains two types of vascular tissue (tissue related to blood vessels). The first type is trabeculated, which is sponge-like and filled with blood. This tissue is innervated by cavernous nerves and has a spongy appearance. Smooth muscle lies beneath the epithelium (outer layer) of these vascular areas. Yang et al. noted that the urethral lumen (the inner space of the urethra) is surrounded by spongy tissue that looks different from the darker tissue of the clitoris and bulbs. The second type of vascular tissue is non-erectile, with blood vessels spread out in a fibrous matrix and minimal smooth muscle.
The clitoral glans, also called the head or tip, is located at the front of the clitoral body. It is a fibro-vascular cap, often the size and shape of a pea, though it can vary in size. The glans is separated from the clitoral body by a ridge of tissue called the corona. Research suggests the glans has 8,000 to 10,000 or more sensory nerve endings, making it the most sensitive erogenous zone. It also contains many genital corpuscles. Some studies describe the glans and labia minora as non-erectile tissue, with blood vessels spread in a fibrous matrix and little smooth muscle. Others say the glans may have erectile tissue. The glans is similar in structure to the male penile glans.
The clitoral frenulum is a band of tissue between the underside of the glans and the top of the labia minora. It helps keep the clitoris in place. It is similar to the penile frenulum in males.
The clitoral body, or shaft, is behind the glans. It contains the corpora cavernosa, two sponge-like regions of erectile tissue that hold blood during an erection. These structures are surrounded by a thick fibrous sheath called the tunica albuginea. The corpora cavernosa are separated by a fibrous band called the pectiniform septum. The clitoral body connects to the pubic symphysis (a bone in the pelvis) via the suspensory ligament.
The clitoral body is bent, forming an angle that divides it into an internal part near the pubic symphysis and an external part that can be seen and felt under the clitoral hood.
The root of the clitoris is located in the perineum (the area between the vulva and anus) and includes the posterior ends of the clitoris, the crura (legs), and the bulbs of the vestibule. The crura extend from the clitoral body and form a "V" shape. Each crus attaches to the ischial ramus (a bone structure) and ends near the middle of the pubic arch. The root also includes the urethral sponge, perineal sponge, nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and the pelvic floor.
The vestibular bulbs are closely related to the clitoris because they share similar sponge-like tissue. They are located near the crura, on either side of the vaginal opening, and are beneath the labia majora. The anterior parts of the bulbs join to form the bulbar commissure, which connects to the glans. When engorged with blood, the bulbs expand and push outward, causing the vulva to stretch. Some studies suggest the bulbs surround the vaginal opening, but others, like Ginger et al., note this may not be accurate. Yang et al. found that the bulbs arch over the distal urethra, forming a structure they called the "bulbar urethra."
The clitoral hood, or prepuce, is a fold of skin at the front of the labia commissure (where the labia majora meet at the base of the pubic mound). It is partially formed by the fusion of the upper labia minora. The hood covers and protects the glans and external shaft. The amount of glans exposed varies widely among individuals.
There is no clear link between the size of the glans or clitoris and a woman’s age, height, weight, use of hormonal contraception, or menopause status. However, women who have given birth may have slightly larger clitoral measurements. The clitoral glans typically ranges from 2 mm to 1 cm in size, with an average of 4 to 5 mm in both width and length. A 1992 study found the total clitoral length (including the glans and body) to be about 16 millimeters, with some variation.
Development
The clitoris forms from a part of the embryo called the genital tubercle. When testosterone is not present, the genital tubercle develops into the clitoris. The phallus grows quickly at first, but this growth slows over time. This process helps form the clitoris's body, glans, and other structures.
Function
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The clitoris has many nerve endings and is the most sensitive part of the female body. When it is touched during sexual activity, it can cause sexual excitement. This excitement may come from thinking about sex, being with a sexual partner, or touching oneself. It can lead to an orgasm. The best way to touch the clitoris is usually by hand or mouth, which is called direct clitoral stimulation. In some cases, touching the clitoris during sexual penetration is called additional or assisted clitoral stimulation.
Direct stimulation means touching the outside parts of the clitoris, such as the glans, the hood, and the shaft. Touching the labia minora may also have a similar effect because it is connected to the glans and the hood. These areas may be touched indirectly during sexual activity, such as when they rub against the labia majora. Indirect clitoral stimulation is often from penile-vaginal penetration. Penile-anal penetration may also touch the clitoris indirectly because of shared nerves, especially the pudendal nerve, which splits into two parts: the perineal nerve and the dorsal nerve of the clitoris.
Because the glans is very sensitive, touching it directly may not always feel good. Instead, touching the hood or near the glans is often more enjoyable. Many women prefer to use the hood to touch the glans or have the glans rolled between the labia for indirect touch. It is also common for women to enjoy the shaft being softly touched along with the occasional circling of the glans. This might happen with or without fingers going into the vagina, while other women enjoy having the whole vulva touched. Stimulation with well-lubricated fingers is usually more enjoyable than with dry fingers.
Because the clitoris is on the outside, it is not touched directly during penetration. When in the missionary position, the clitoris is usually touched by the pubic bone. For better stimulation, some couples may choose the woman-on-top position or the coital alignment technique, which combines the "riding high" variation of the missionary position with rhythmic movements. Same-sex female couples may rub their vulvas together for mutual stimulation. Pressing the penis in a circular motion against the clitoris or touching it against another body part may also be used. A vibrator, dildo, or other sex toy may be used. Some women use a pillow, water from a shower, or by closing their legs and rocking to stimulate the clitoris.
During sexual excitement, the clitoris and the rest of the vulva become swollen and change color because blood fills the tissues (vasocongestion). The individual may also feel vaginal contractions. The ischiocavernosus and bulbocavernosus muscles contract and compress the dorsal vein of the clitoris, which is the only vein that drains blood from the clitoris. The blood continues to flow into the tissues, making them swell and become hard. This causes the clitoris to become erect.
The prepuce retracts, and the glans becomes more visible. The glans becomes larger during arousal and is covered by the swelling of the clitoral hood. This swelling protects the glans from direct contact, which may be uncomfortable. Vasocongestion eventually causes a muscle reflex that pushes the blood out of the tissues, leading to an orgasm. A short time after stimulation stops, especially if an orgasm has happened, the glans becomes visible again and returns to its normal size. If an orgasm has not happened, the clitoris may stay swollen for a few hours, which can be uncomfortable. After an orgasm, the clitoris is very sensitive, and further stimulation may be painful for some women.
About 70 to 80 percent of women need direct clitoral stimulation, such as touching the outside parts of the clitoris with hands, mouth, or other methods, to reach orgasm. Indirect clitoral stimulation, such as through vaginal penetration, may also be enough for some women to have an orgasm. The area near the entrance of the vagina has nearly 90 percent of the vaginal nerve endings. Some parts of the vaginal wall and the area near the urinary opening are also sensitive. However, most women do not have intense pleasure or orgasm from vaginal stimulation alone because the vagina has far fewer nerve endings than the clitoris.
The debate about the number of vaginal nerve endings started with Alfred Kinsey. Sigmund Freud had previously said that clitoral orgasms are for young women and that vaginal orgasms are for mature women. Kinsey was the first to strongly criticize this idea. Through his studies of female masturbation and interviews with many women, Kinsey found that most women could not have vaginal orgasms. He also believed that the clitoris is the main part of the body responsible for sexual pleasure. He thought the vagina was not important for sexual satisfaction and that most women did not insert fingers or objects into their vaginas when they masturbated. He believed that vaginal orgasms were not possible because the vagina has too few nerve endings to cause pleasure or climax.
Masters and Johnson, as well as Shere Hite, supported Kinsey's findings about female orgasms. Masters and Johnson discovered that the clitoris extends along the labia and that both clitoral and vaginal orgasms go through the same stages of physical response. They found that most women could only have clitoral orgasms, while a few could have vaginal orgasms. They believed that clitoral stimulation is the main cause of both types of orgasms, as the clitoris is touched during penetration by the friction of the hood. Their research happened during the second-wave feminist movement, which encouraged women to reject the idea that clitoral and vaginal orgasms are different. Feminist Anne Koedt argued that men have orgasms through vaginal friction and not the clitoris, so women's biology had not been properly studied. With the help of many researchers, including Kinsey and Masters and Johnson, it is now known that the clitoris is the main center of sexual response.
Clinical significance
Genital modification can occur for aesthetic, medical, or cultural reasons. This includes female genital mutilation (FGM), sex reassignment surgery for trans men during transitioning, intersex surgery, and genital piercings. The use of anabolic steroids by bodybuilders and athletes can cause the clitoris to grow larger and lead to other changes that make the body appear more masculine. Abnormal enlargement of the clitoris is called clitoromegaly or macroclitoris, but clitoromegaly is more often seen as a birth defect.
Clitoroplasty is a type of sex reassignment surgery for trans women. It involves creating a clitoris using tissue from the penis. This surgery is usually done with other procedures that help the body appear more feminine, such as vaginoplasty.
People who take male hormones or other medications as part of a gender transition often experience significant clitoral growth. Some choose to keep their original genitalia with the enlarged clitoris, which acts as a penis-like structure (metoidioplasty). However, the clitoris cannot grow to the size of a penis through hormones. A surgery called metoidioplasty can add function to the clitoris and help keep sexual sensation intact.
In clitoridectomy, the clitoris may be removed as part of a radical vulvectomy to treat certain cancers, such as vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia. However, modern treatments often avoid this surgery because it can cause emotional and sexual difficulties. Clitoridectomy is more commonly linked to FGM, which is also called female circumcision or female genital cutting (FGC). Removing the glans (the visible tip of the clitoris) does not mean the entire structure is lost, as the clitoris extends deep into the genital area.
Reduction clitoroplasty is a common intersex surgery. It preserves the glans but removes parts of the erectile tissue. Problems with this method include loss of sensation, sexual function, and the glans becoming damaged. One approach to protect the clitoris is to fold and cover the glans, but some studies note that pain from trapped tissue under scars is common. Another method involves removing 50% of the ventral clitoris (the front part), and follow-up reports show good sensation and function. However, complications from this method are similar to older procedures.
For females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a condition that often requires genital surgery, researcher Atilla Şenaylı stated that the main goals are to create a normal female anatomy, reduce complications, and improve quality of life. He added that surgeons should focus on appearance, structural strength, vaginal function, and the absence of pain during sex. While expectations can be measured using these criteria, surgical techniques remain varied depending on the patient’s age.
Gender assessment and surgical treatment are the two main steps in intersex operations. Early treatments for clitoromegaly involved simply removing the clitoris. Later, it was understood that the clitoris glans and its nerve connections are important for sexual pleasure. The clitoral glans has highly sensitive skin, which is key to sexual responses. Because of this, recession clitoroplasty was developed as an alternative, but reduction clitoroplasty is now the preferred method.
Various types of genital piercings can be placed near the clitoris. A clitoris piercing goes through the glans itself. However, this depends on anatomy, and only a small number of people have a sufficiently developed glans to allow this. The term "clit piercing" often refers to a more common piercing of the clitoral hood. These are usually vertical piercings, though some are horizontal. A triangle piercing is a deep horizontal hood piercing placed behind the clitoris. Styles like the Isabella piercing pass through the clitoral shaft and exit near the top of the hood. These piercings require specific genital anatomy and can be risky due to nerve damage.
Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) causes women to experience constant, uncontrollable genital arousal without feeling sexually aroused. Clitoral priapism, a rare and painful condition, is sometimes linked to PGAD. With PGAD, arousal can last for hours or days and may involve changes in the size or blood flow of the clitoris.
Drugs can cause or affect clitoral priapism. Trazodone, a medication, is known to cause priapism in men but has only been reported once in women. Stopping the medication may help. Nefazodone has been linked to clitoral swelling in one case, and clitoral priapism can sometimes occur after stopping antipsychotics or SSRIs.
Because PGAD is rare and not well studied, there is limited research on how to treat it. In some cases, PGAD was caused by abnormal blood vessel growth near the clitoris, and surgery helped.
A 2022 article in The New York Times reported that some women experienced reduced clitoral sensitivity or trouble reaching orgasm after surgeries like vulva biopsies, pelvic mesh procedures, or labiaplasties. Researchers suggested that a lack of training in clitoral anatomy and nerve distribution might be a factor.
The clitoris is part of the vulva and can be affected by pain (
Society and culture
For many years, some scholars believed the clitoris and penis were similar in structure, except for how they were arranged. However, the clitoris was often left out of or shown incorrectly in old and modern anatomy books. This led to repeated claims by male scholars that they had discovered it. Ancient Greeks, Romans, and later European scholars knew that male and female reproductive organs were similar, but some, like Galen and Vesalius, thought the vagina was the female version of the penis, turned upside down. Vesalius even claimed the clitoris did not exist in normal women, saying the penis matched the vagina without the clitoris playing a role.
In ancient Greece and Rome, sexual activity was considered "male-defined," meaning penetration was seen as a male act. A term called "tribas" was used for women or intersex individuals who used the clitoris or a dildo to penetrate others. Because ancient people believed sexual activity required a "phallic" (having a shape like a penis) part, myths suggested lesbians had enlarged clitorises or could not enjoy sex without a penis.
In 1545, Charles Estienne was the first to describe the clitoris in a book based on body dissections, but he thought it had a role in urination. Later, in 1559, Realdo Colombo wrote about the "seat of woman's delight," calling it the "sweetness of Venus," after the goddess of love. However, his colleague Gabriele Falloppio claimed he was the first to discover the clitoris, causing controversy. Andreas Vesalius criticized these claims, arguing the clitoris was not a normal part of healthy women but appeared only in people with unusual genital structures.
Many anatomists struggled to challenge Galen’s or Vesalius’ ideas because Galen was a highly respected ancient Greek doctor whose work was considered the medical standard for nearly 2,000 years. Different names for the clitoris, like "virga" (rod) and "columella" (little pillar), confused understanding of its structure. The Romans called it "landica," but Albertus Magnus, a medieval writer, emphasized the similarity between male and female anatomy and sexual function.
In the 16th century, some doctors, like Jacques Daléchamps, believed large clitorises in Egyptian women were abnormal and performed surgeries to remove them, claiming it helped women avoid sexual activity. Caspar Bartholin, a 17th-century anatomist, argued the clitoris was known to medicine since ancient times. While some midwives in the 17th century encouraged women to have orgasms for health, debates about the clitoris’s importance continued.
Regnier de Graaf, a 17th-century scientist, criticized earlier claims about discovering the clitoris and provided the first detailed description of its anatomy. He stressed using the term "clitoris" instead of "nympha" (a word sometimes used for the clitoris) to avoid confusion. However, the term "nympha" later became specific to the labia minora (small lips around the clitoris), causing more confusion.
Debates about whether orgasms were necessary for women began in the Victorian era. Sigmund Freud’s 1905 theory that clitoral orgasms were immature harmed women’s understanding of their sexuality for most of the 20th century.
Near the end of World War I, a British politician named Noel Pemberton Billing wrote an article called "The Cult of the Clitoris," accusing actress Maud Allan and Prime Minister’s wife Margot Asquith of promoting immoral behavior. His claims led to a sensational trial, which he won. He argued the word "clitoris" was too technical to harm morality, but scholars like Jodie Medd later noted that the article highlighted society’s complex views on women’s non-reproductive, sexual bodies.
Other animals
The clitoris and its covering, called the clitoral prepuce, are found in all mammals. However, scientists have studied the clitoris in detail only in a few non-human species, such as cats, sheep, and mice. Some mammals have clitoral glands. The clitoris is especially large in certain animals, including fossas, non-human apes, lemurs, moles, and sometimes contains a small bone called the os clitoridis. In some moles, the clitoris has a shape similar to a penis and is connected to the urethra. In horses and dogs, the clitoris is enclosed in a small pouch of tissue called a fossa. The clitoris is also found in reptiles like turtles and crocodiles, and in birds such as ostriches and ducks. In lizards and snakes, the clitoris is part of a paired structure called the hemiclitoris. Female spotted hyenas are the only non-intersex female mammals without an external vaginal opening, and their anatomy is different from intersex cases.
In spider monkeys, the clitoris is large and has a passage, the urethra, that allows urine to flow. Urine is released from the base of the clitoris, travels down a groove on its surface, and is held by folds of skin. Because spider monkeys have long, pendulous clitorises that resemble a penis, scientists often look for a scrotum or scent-marking glands on the clitoris to determine the animal's sex.
In squirrel monkeys, the clitoris becomes erect during dominance displays, which can affect their ability to reproduce.
The clitoris of bonobos is larger and more visible than in most mammals. Female bonobos often rub their clitorises together during social interactions. This behavior, which involves rapid movement and physical contact, is repeated frequently and is often accompanied by vocalizations and swelling of the clitoris. Scientists suggest that the position of the clitoris in bonobos and some other primates may have evolved to increase stimulation during sexual activity.
Some lemurs, such as mouse lemurs, dwarf lemurs, and lorises, have long clitorises that are partially or fully connected to the urethra. Some species have a membrane that covers the vaginal opening during non-mating seasons. The clitoris of ring-tailed lemurs is well-studied and is described as long and hanging, with the urethra running through it. The tissue around the urethra swells during breeding seasons but is different from the tissue found in males. Female ring-tailed lemurs have higher levels of certain hormones, such as estrogen, during specific times of the year. These traits, along with other characteristics like female-dominated social groups, are part of a pattern called the "lemur syndrome." A 2014 study suggested that these traits may have evolved in female lemurs after they separated from other primate groups.
Female spotted hyenas were once mistakenly called pseudohermaphrodites, but modern scientists do not use this term. Female spotted hyenas have a clitoris that is 90% as long and the same width as a male's penis (171 millimeters long and 22 millimeters wide). This structure, called a pseudo-penis, develops in female fetuses before their ovaries and adrenal glands form, and it does not depend on male hormones. The pseudo-penis is surrounded by erectile tissue and has a false scrotum. It is thicker and has a rounded tip compared to a male's penis. Female spotted hyenas do not have an external vagina; instead, their labia are fused to form the false scrotum, which is made of soft fat. The clitoris has small bumps on its tip, which feel like sandpaper. It is fully erectile and is used for urination, mating, and giving birth. Males must position themselves carefully to mate with females, as the female's clitoris must be retracted to allow the male's penis to enter. Female spotted hyenas with higher levels of male hormones during fetal development may have damaged ovaries, making it harder to have babies. After giving birth, the pseudo-penis stretches to accommodate the baby.