in·fib·u·late  ( ĭn-f ĭb y ə-l āt ′)
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tr.v. in·fib·u·lat·ed, in·fib·u·lat·ing, in·fib·u·lates To close off or obstruct the genitals of, especially by sewing together the labia majora in females or fastening the prepuce in males, so as to prevent sexual intercourse.
[Latin īnfībulāre, īnfībulāt-, to clasp with a brooch, infibulate : in-, on; see IN-2 + fībula, brooch, clasp; see FIBULA.]
in·fib′u·lation n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2019 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices
Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:
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