Nubile
Encyclopedia
Nubile refers to a young woman who is ready or suitable for marriage
by virtue of her age
or maturity
. In recent times it has also been used to refer to a sexually attractive young woman.
nubile. Its historical roots, though, can be traced still further back to the Latin
nubilis, also meaning "marriageable," which is from the stem
of nubere which means "take as husband."]]."
In 1973 it was first used in the sense of "sexually attractive." The word can refer to a nymphet (see below) in the context of a young sexually attractive woman.
, or young woman. The first recorded use of the term, defined by The Century Dictionary
as "a little nymph
", was by Michael Drayton
in Poly-Olbion
I. xi. Argt. 171 (1612): "Of the nymphets sporting there In Wyrrall, and in Delamere."
In Lolita
, "nymphet" was used to describe the 9- to 14-year-old girls to whom the protagonist is attracted, the archetypal nymphet being the character of Dolores Haze. Nabokov, in the voice of his narrator Humbert, first describes these nymphets in the following passage:
For Humbert, a nymphet is in the earliest stages of puberty
: "The bud-stage of breast development appears early (10.7 years)." When he meets a streetwalker who claims to be 18, he considers her no longer a nymphet, although her body is still in some ways childlike.
s were the counterpart of the nymphs. The term appears in the novel twice:
's novel Lolita
. Lolita' s actual name was Dolores, with whom the narrator, Humbert Humbert, develops a sexual
obsession. In the book itself, "Lolita
" is specifically Humbert's nickname for Dolores. Nevertheless, "Lolita" and "loli" has come to be used as a general reference to a seductive or sexually attractive young woman.
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
by virtue of her age
Marriageable age
Marriageable age is the age at which a person is allowed to marry, either as of right or subject to parental or other forms of consent. The age and other requirements vary between countries, but generally it is set at 18, although most jurisdictions allow marriage at slightly younger ages with...
or maturity
Sexual maturity
Sexual maturity is the age or stage when an organism can reproduce. It is sometimes considered synonymous with adulthood, though the two are distinct...
. In recent times it has also been used to refer to a sexually attractive young woman.
Etymology
The English word traces its roots to 1642 in reference to being "marriageable" (as said of a woman) from the FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
nubile. Its historical roots, though, can be traced still further back to the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
nubilis, also meaning "marriageable," which is from the stem
Word stem
In linguistics, a stem is a part of a word. The term is used with slightly different meanings.In one usage, a stem is a form to which affixes can be attached. Thus, in this usage, the English word friendships contains the stem friend, to which the derivational suffix -ship is attached to form a new...
of nubere which means "take as husband."]]."
In 1973 it was first used in the sense of "sexually attractive." The word can refer to a nymphet (see below) in the context of a young sexually attractive woman.
Nymphet
A nymphet is a sexually attractive girlGirl
A girl is any female human from birth through childhood and adolescence to attainment of adulthood. The term may also be used to mean a young woman.-Etymology:...
, or young woman. The first recorded use of the term, defined by The Century Dictionary
Century Dictionary
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia was one of the largest encyclopedic dictionaries of the English language. The first edition was published from 1889 to 1891 by The Century Company of New York, in six, eight, or ten volume versions in 7,046 pages with some 10,000 wood-engraved illustrations...
as "a little nymph
Nymph
A nymph in Greek mythology is a female minor nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. Different from gods, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing;...
", was by Michael Drayton
Michael Drayton
Michael Drayton was an English poet who came to prominence in the Elizabethan era.-Early life:He was born at Hartshill, near Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. Almost nothing is known about his early life, beyond the fact that in 1580 he was in the service of Thomas Goodere of Collingham,...
in Poly-Olbion
Poly-Olbion
The Poly-Olbion is a topographical poem describing England and Wales. Written by Michael Drayton and published in 1612, it was reprinted with a second part in 1622. Drayton had been working on the project since at least 1598.-Content:...
I. xi. Argt. 171 (1612): "Of the nymphets sporting there In Wyrrall, and in Delamere."
In Lolita
Lolita
Lolita is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov, first written in English and published in 1955 in Paris and 1958 in New York, and later translated by the author into Russian...
, "nymphet" was used to describe the 9- to 14-year-old girls to whom the protagonist is attracted, the archetypal nymphet being the character of Dolores Haze. Nabokov, in the voice of his narrator Humbert, first describes these nymphets in the following passage:
For Humbert, a nymphet is in the earliest stages of puberty
Puberty
Puberty is the process of physical changes by which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of reproduction, as initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads; the ovaries in a girl, the testes in a boy...
: "The bud-stage of breast development appears early (10.7 years)." When he meets a streetwalker who claims to be 18, he considers her no longer a nymphet, although her body is still in some ways childlike.
Faunlet
The term faunlet, also coined by Nabokov and used by Humbert, is used to describe the young male counterpart of a nymphet, in the same way that the mythological faunFaun
The faun is a rustic forest god or place-spirit of Roman mythology often associated with Greek satyrs and the Greek god Pan.-Origins:...
s were the counterpart of the nymphs. The term appears in the novel twice:
Lolita
Lolita was the nickname of one of the principal characters in Vladimir NabokovVladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov was a multilingual Russian novelist and short story writer. Nabokov wrote his first nine novels in Russian, then rose to international prominence as a master English prose stylist...
's novel Lolita
Lolita
Lolita is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov, first written in English and published in 1955 in Paris and 1958 in New York, and later translated by the author into Russian...
. Lolita
Sexual fantasy
A sexual fantasy, also called an erotic fantasy, is a fantasy or pattern of thoughts with the effect of creating or enhancing sexual feelings; in short, it is "almost any mental imagery that is sexually arousing or erotic to [an] individual"...
obsession. In the book itself, "Lolita
Lolita (name)
Lolita is a female given name of Spanish origin. It is the diminutive form of Lola, a form of the given name Dolores.-Popularity:According to the United States Social Security Administration, the popularity of the name Lolita peaked in the United States in 1963, when it was the 467th most popular...
" is specifically Humbert's nickname for Dolores. Nevertheless, "Lolita" and "loli" has come to be used as a general reference to a seductive or sexually attractive young woman.
External links
- Constructions of Childhood in Art and Media: Sexualized Innocence, Alexandra Wood.
- "Little Deadly Demons: Nymphets, sexuality and a North American girl-child", Dawson, Kellie, American Sexuality Magazine.