Cunnilingus

Cunnilingus (sometimes spelled cunnilinctus) means the oral caress of the female sex, tongue, lips and breath exploring the vulva, the inner lips, the entrance of the vagina and above all the clitoris. The word comes from the Latin cunnus and lingere, literally to lick the sex. It is the female counterpart of fellatio.

It tends to get filed under foreplay, but that is a shortcut. For many women, it is the most direct route to orgasm, because the tongue is soft, mobile, warm, and it reaches the clitoris exactly where penetration neglects it. So it can be a moment in its own right, with nothing after, or a long prelude.

As for the moves, the basic principle fits in one word: progression. Start broad and light, the inner thighs, the pubis, the outer lips, before moving up towards the clitoral hood. Flat tongue for the enveloping caress, tip of the tongue for more precise contact, slow steady movements rather than frantic ones, and deliberate pauses that build the craving. A hand can join in, on the belly, the buttocks, or two fingers at the entrance of the vagina.

Communication makes all the difference, because no vulva responds like the one next door. Some like firm pressure, others can only take indirect contact through the hood, the clitoral glans being so richly supplied with nerves. Asking, listening to the breathing, accepting a hand guiding you or a simple "higher", "gentler", that is what turns a technique into real pleasure. And when the pleasure rises, keep the same rhythm, don't change the recipe halfway through.

A few useful details: cunnilingus is not without risk of infection, since some STIs are transmitted orally. A dental dam or a condom cut open can act as a barrier, and any persistent discomfort or pain deserves a doctor's opinion. Not to be confused with anilingus, which involves the anus, nor with the sixty-nine, which means mutual, simultaneous oral caresses.

Synonyms : cunnilinctus, muff diving, oral sex on the vulva