The little death is translation from the French "la petite mort", a popular reference for a sexual orgasm. The term has been broadly expanded to include specific instances of blacking out after orgasm and other supposed spiritual releases that come with orgasm.

Speculations to its origin include current connotations of the phrase, including:

* Greco-Roman belief that the oversecretion of bodily fluids would "dry out" one of the believed four humours, leading to death
* Islam's reference to sleep
* Buddhist Sogyal Rinpoche's The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying's quote: “Life is nothing but a continuing dance of birth and death, a dance of change.” (Existence through many changes, "births and deaths")

(noun) A successful type of theft which results in an acceptable, impressive and rewarding payday for the protagonist.

French phrase literally meaning "the little death". In popular culture it means having a sleep after sex or orgasm. Popular song "I just Died in Your Arms" by English band Cutting Crew was about it.