# Opposite of phallic? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 10, 2004, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179 "2004-12-10T18:47:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/1 "2004-12-10T18:47:16Z")
It seems we see phallic symbols almost daily, but something stumped me. My girlfriend was talking about the art of Georgia O’Keeffe and how alot of it resembles a vagina in some way or other, and I realized that there is no word that I know which means “resembling a vagina.” So, dopers, what is the femenine counterpart to “phallic?” ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/2 "2004-12-10T18:52:29Z")
“yonic”. It’s fairly obscure, and it’s not the opposite of “phallic”. The opposite of “phallic” is “non-phallic”. ---
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/3 "2004-12-10T18:55:27Z")
I know it’s not correct, but I offer _vaginalia_ ---
**Author:** ![Satyagrahi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f475e1/32.png) [@Satyagrahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satyagrahi)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/4 "2004-12-10T19:02:21Z")
The word you’re looking for is [‘vulvar’](http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=vulvar&x=15&y=19). ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/5 "2004-12-10T19:04:46Z")
_vulvar_ works, but the vaginal analog to phallic is, as **ultra** posted, _yonic_. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/6 "2004-12-10T21:06:00Z")
> [@iamthewalrus(:3=](#): > > _vulvar_ works, but the vaginal analog to phallic is, as **ultra** posted, _yonic_. Then shouldn’t the opposite of “yonic” be “lingamic” or something? Why is a Hindu term that’s in fairly limited use as far as I’ve ever seen the opposite of “phallic”? How about “vaginal”? ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/7 "2004-12-11T05:51:56Z")
‘Labial’ would be more analogous to ‘phallic’ than ‘vaginal’ since we’re dealing with outward shape and not necessarily the function of the organ. ---
**Author:** ![Satyagrahi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f475e1/32.png) [@Satyagrahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satyagrahi)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/8 "2004-12-11T06:16:34Z")
Gentlemen. All the words mentioned do indeed have something to do with the female genitalia. However, ‘phallic,’ in modern usage, is a term used in psychology. And the complement of ‘phallic,’ used commonly in the the psych biz, is ‘vulvar.’ It refers to the externally visible female genitalia (thereby complementary to phallic) and the mental attitudes related to them. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/9 "2004-12-11T11:29:16Z")
“gynic”? ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/10 "2004-12-11T11:56:07Z")
> [@Satyagrahi](#): > > Gentlemen. > > All the words mentioned do indeed have something to do with the female genitalia. However, ‘phallic,’ in modern usage, is a term used in psychology. Well, you’re very, very wrong. Just do a Google search for ‘phallic’ and you’ll find most references to phallic in the context of “hey, it looks like an erect penis.” > [@](#): > > And the complement of ‘phallic,’ used commonly in the the psych biz, is ‘vulvar.’ It refers to the externally visible female genitalia (thereby complementary to phallic) and the mental attitudes related to them. I’ll agree that ‘vulvar’ is just as good an analogue to ‘phallic’ as ‘labial’ is. However, I can’t find one single cite of ‘vulvar’ in the psychological coinage. Could you please provide a cite? Thanks. Peace. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/11 "2004-12-11T13:42:00Z")
Since the OP asked the question in the context of Georgia O’Keefe’s art, I think “yonic” is the best answer. The reason: artists who paint in that O’Keefian style overwhelmingly prefer [\*yoni](http://www.yoniendeavor.com/home.html)\* to describe their focus, and in my forays in the arts world I have never seen “vulvar” used to describe this style of art. It’s always “[yoni](http://www.yoniversum.nl/).” ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/12 "2004-12-11T19:02:20Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > ‘Labial’ would be more analogous to ‘phallic’ than ‘vaginal’ since we’re dealing with outward shape and not necessarily the function of the organ. **Camel’s Hoof**? ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/13 "2004-12-11T19:36:19Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **ultrafilter** : “yonic”. It’s fairly obscure “fairly” obscure? ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/14 "2004-12-11T20:49:35Z")
I vote for coochy-esque. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/15 "2004-12-11T21:42:58Z")
> [@Jomo Mojo](#): > > Since the OP asked the question in the context of Georgia O’Keefe’s art, I think “yonic” is the best answer. The reason: artists who paint in that O’Keefian style overwhelmingly prefer [\*yoni](http://www.yoniendeavor.com/home.html)\* to describe their focus, and in my forays in the arts world I have never seen “vulvar” used to describe this style of art. It’s always “[yoni](http://www.yoniversum.nl/).” Hmmm, I’m starting to think about new age music for some reason… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![EmeraldGrue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dc4da7/32.png) [@EmeraldGrue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmeraldGrue)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/16 "2004-12-11T23:05:43Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > **Camel’s Hoof**? How long before this thread converges with the camel toe one? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/17 "2004-12-12T01:43:52Z")
I vote for **"vestibular"** [Relevant link](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=vestibule) (The adjective form’s in the dictionary too, but it has non-useful definitions like “pertaining to a vestibule”) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/18 "2004-12-12T02:40:17Z")
_Vestibular_ and _vulvar_ are both from Latin, while _phallic_ is from Greek. If you object to using a Sanskrit word as parallel to the Greek one, how is Latin any better? To satisfy the hobgoblin of consistency, you would need to come up with a Greek word. Strangely, the classical Greek language seems to lack a word for the _yoni_. When the Greeks talked about it, they used other words metaphorically: either _kolpos_ = ‘inlet’ or _kteis_ = ‘comb’. (“Comb”? 😕 Huh?) So you could coin your own Greek-based adjectives, either _colpic_ or _cteic_. I still go with _yonic_, as it’s the term that’s already won acceptance from those who care about the subject. A [Google search](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=yonic) brings up 5,510 hits for “yonic.” The second and third hits right off the search page tell us, and I quote: Word: “yonic”. Short Definition: the opposite of phallic. yonic. Andrew Van Schaack writes: … The feminine counterpart of phallic is doughnutish. No, just kidding. There really is a word, and it is yonic. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/19 "2004-12-12T02:40:52Z")
Cunnilic? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179/20 "2004-12-12T05:09:12Z")
> [@Jomo Mojo](#): > > _Vestibular_ and _vulvar_ are both from Latin, while _phallic_ is from Greek. If you object to using a Sanskrit word as parallel to the Greek one, how is Latin any better? To satisfy the hobgoblin of consistency, you would need to come up with a Greek word. Strangely, the classical Greek language seems to lack a word for the _yoni_. When the Greeks talked about it, they used other words metaphorically: either _kolpos_ = ‘inlet’ or _kteis_ = ‘comb’. (“Comb”? 😕 Huh?) So you could coin your own Greek-based adjectives, either _colpic_ or _cteic_. Didn’t they have a word…umm, I saw it written in Greek characters and looked them up to see how it would sound, so this may not be how others would transliterate it into our alphabet, but _kophon_ with both o’s as long o’s. (I saw it w/reference to ancient female fecundity carvings that were being compared to the [URL=“[Encyclopedia Mythica](http://www.pantheon.org/areas/gallery/mythology/europe/celtic/sheila-na-gig.jpg%22%5D%22shiela-na-gig)”[/ULR] images found elsewhere). So, kophonic? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opposite-of-phallic/279179.md?page=2)