Skip to main content

pygmalionist 

A person whose sexual responsiveness directed toward a statue or non-responding sexual partner.
Eg: "My name is XYZ, and I'm a pygmalionist. Does that surprise you?"
According to the most common version of the myth, Pygmalion was a king of Cyprus and a sculptor who created a beautiful ivory statue representing his ideal of womanhood. He then fell in love with his own creation. In answer to his prayer the goddess Aphrodite brought the statue to life.
pygmalionist mug front
Get the pygmalionist mug.
See more merch

pygmalionism 

1. A term referring to a sexual attraction to a statue.

2. A word derived from the Myth of Pygmalion and his prize sculpture that he named Galatea (sleeping love).
In this myth Pygmalion was attempting to create a sculpture of Aphrodite the Goddess of Love. To do this he let his love for the Goddess guide his hands. Unfortunately this had the side effect of making him fall into love with his statue. Aphrodite was moved by this mans efforts, and granted him the gift of his hearts desire. This brought his statue to life so that he and the statue could live happily ever after!

This is Pygmalionism in its original Sense.
pygmalionism by Cledwin October 19, 2006
Related Words

pygmalionism 

1 term referring to the myth where a mysoginistic artist seeks to create a statue more beautiful than all the women in the world because he believes them to all be terribly flawed. He ends up creating the most beautiful statue ( names it Galatea) and falling in love with it because it is "perfect" because he made it. He drives himself crazy with longing for the statue, going so far as to dress it up and leave it food. Aphrodite takes pity on him because she sees he has atoned for his hatred of women and makes Galatea come alive. Pygmalion and Galatea are married and live together "happily ever after".

2) being a perfectionist, snobby or loosely, someone with ridiculously high standards in love
"Pygmalion was a total douche but he got what he wanted, Pygmalionism works!"

"He's so picky, must be pygmalionism or something"
pygmalionism by strawberryxlawliet September 23, 2009