7 Interesting Facts You Never Knew About Your Clitoris

Back in the 1550s, two Italian academics, Realdo Colombo and Gabriele Falloppio, argued about who found the clitoris first. Obviously, women knew about their own body parts long before these men did.

Your clitoris has a single purpose – sexual pleasure. It is the powerhouse of sexual pleasure in women.

Etymologists are not entirely sure where the word “clitoris” comes from. It might be Greek, meaning “to sheathe,” “side of the hill,” “key,” or even “to tickle.”

What is the clitoris?

The clitoris, sometimes referred to as the ‘clit,’ is a small organ that is a powerhouse of pleasure, and unlike other reproductive organs, the clitoris doesn’t engage in baby-making duties; its sole purpose is sexual pleasure through stimulation.

The clit is situated above the vaginal opening and is surrounded by other organs of the vulva, such as the labia majora and minora, the urethra opening, and the vaginal opening. Its external part, resembling a hooded nub, becomes more pronounced during arousal, like the erect state of the penis.

The clitoris is so complex that scientists are still figuring out the secrets this little nub holds. Despite its importance, many people, even women, do not know where the clitoris is, what its function is, and the role it plays in orgasms and sexual pleasure.

To school you some more, here are some interesting facts about the clitoris:

1. The clitoris is a highly sensitive organ with around 8,000 nerve endings, making it one of the most densely innervated areas in the human body. It’s even more sensitive than the penis, which has just 4,000 nerve endings!
2. It may look like a little clitoral nub at first glance, but it turns out that about 75% of it is inside the body. Most of the clitoral structure extends internally, with legs and bulbs that can be several inches long.
3. The clitoris is so unique that it’s the only organ whose primary function is pleasure. Nothing more. And, unlike other reproductive organs, the clitoris does not play a direct role in reproduction.
4. This organ never stops growing. Even after puberty, the clitoris keeps growing. It transforms and gets bigger, especially during big life events like pregnancy or menopause.
5. Before birth, clitorises and penises start out pretty much the same. They both come from a thing called the “genital tubercle” between weeks four and nine of gestation.
6. Clitorises and penises are kind of alike in structure. They both have a shaft and a hood and get bigger with blood when someone’s feeling frisky. Though they share some common ground, the clit is more sensitive.
7. Research suggests all female orgasms are clitoral. Dr Odile Buisson and Dr Pierre Foldès, the biologists, also suggested that since the erectile tissue of the clitoris surrounds the vagina, all female orgasms might originate from its stimulation.