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infibulation

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A surgery that closes a girl's outer genitals by sewing them for cultural reasons

noun
/ˌɪnfɪbjuˈleɪʃən/

NSFW

: infibulación

In some cultures, infibulation is regarded as a rite of passage for young girls.

Examples

At age twelve, clitoridectomy and infibulation—the sewing closed of the vaginal opening—will be performed on these girls.

Fiction book (1994)
The procedure of infibulation is often performed for cultural reasons, leading to various health complications.
Many medical professionals warn that infibulation can have serious long-term health effects.

Surface Forms

infibulation singular

infibulations plural

Morphology

infibulation = infibulate (opaque) = in + fibula + ation

The verb 'infibulate' can be segmented as in- + fibula (to fasten with a brooch), but the modern medical sense represents a specialized extension of that base meaning.

Etymology

Infibulation comes from the Latin parts in- 'in' and fibula 'pin' or 'clasp'. Picture closing something with a pin, and that image helps explain why infibulation now means the surgical 'closing' or sewing together of the external genitals.