frigid

Derived from the Latin frigidus (meaning "cold"), the term frigid is literally used to describe very low temperatures. However, when applied to a woman, it is a slang term—often considered a slur—implying that she is unable to feel sexual desire or fails to be sexually responsive. Historically, the term gained prominence in the early 20th century within psychoanalysis and medicine as a clinical diagnosis for women who did not achieve orgasm during intercourse, effectively pathologizing female sexuality that did not align with specific male-centric expectations.

From a modern linguistic and sociological perspective, the term is widely viewed as derogatory and sexist. Critics argue that it acts as a tool of misogyny by blaming women for a lack of sexual arousal, often ignoring factors such as the partner's behavior, the quality of the relationship, or a simple lack of consent. It frames a woman's refusal or lack of interest as a physiological or psychological defect. While the word is still used neutrally to describe weather or emotionally distant personalities in general, its application to female sexuality is largely considered offensive and medically obsolete, having been replaced by specific, non-judgmental clinical descriptors.

Example:
"After she rejected his advances, he angrily labeled her frigid to his friends."

Example:
"The novel explores how the label of the 'frigid woman' was used in the 1950s to pressure wives into sexual compliance."