Klittra is accepted as Sweden’s official word for female masturbation. The term was coined in 2014 following a competition spearheaded by the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education to find a suitable gender-specific word.
Klittra is a portmanteau of the Swedish words "klitoris" and "glittra," which translate as "clitoris" and "glitter." It was deemed the best word for female masturbation in a public poll, which followed more than 1,200 people submitting their ideas for a suitable word.
More About Klittra
The term klittra looks to empower women and give mainstream acceptance to female masturbation and sexuality. It also highlights the importance of the clitoris for female pleasure.
Klittra encompasses all types of female masturbation, including masturbation using the hands and sex toys and masturbation involving penetration and without it.
The creation of the word klittra aims to inspire a discussion about female sexuality throughout Sweden. The Swedes note that male-specific words for masturbation abound, so it was only fitting that a female-specific term entered the vernacular. They added that having the right word was necessary for starting the conversation.
Although the term received lots of press in 2014 and 2015, it was never added to an official Swedish dictionary.
