different between voyeurism vs scopophile

English

Etymology

From voyeur +? -ism

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vw??j?????z(?)m/

Noun

voyeurism (usually uncountable, plural voyeurisms)

1. The derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly, especially when those being watched are undressed or engaging in sexual activity.
2. (by extension) The derivation of satisfaction by obsessively watching or following sensational or sordid subjects.

Related terms

• voyeur
• exhibitionism

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• scopophiliac
• scoptophile
• scoptophiliac

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ?????? (skopós, “watcher”) + English -phile.

Noun

scopophile (plural scopophiles)

1. (psychology, sexuality) One with a sexual dependency on openly observing genitalia and sexual acts, as opposed to a voyeur, who watches in secret.

   Caligula was a scopophile who was not ashamed of his irregular desire to watch others making love, while Mr. Hoover, as a voyeur, favored the keyhole and wiretap as methods of observation.

Related terms

• scopophilia

See also

• voyeurism