erectile dysfunction

IPA/ɪˌrektaɪl dɪsˈfʌŋkʃn/
IPA/ɪˌrektaɪl dɪsˈfʌŋkʃn/

erectile dysfunction — noun

1. a medical condition affecting a man's ability to achieve and sustain a firm erec

1.名詞B2
釋義

a medical condition affecting a man's ability to achieve and sustain a firm erection for sexual intercourse, often linked to physical or psychological causes such as stress, diabetes, or heart disease.

例句

Kofi's doctor told him that losing weight could help reduce his erectile dysfunction.

noun phrase as direct object: reduce his erectile dysfunction

Many men with erectile dysfunction wait months before talking to a doctor about it.

同義詞
  • ED

    the common abbreviation used in medical records, news articles, and casual conversation

  • impotence

    an older, broader term now rarely used by doctors because it can imply a wider loss of male function

文法句型

suffer from erectile dysfunction

be diagnosed with erectile dysfunction

用法筆記

This is the standard medical term; the abbreviation ED is very common in both medical writing and everyday conversation. The older term 'impotence' is now considered outdated and may cause offence.

常見錯誤

He has erectile problem.
He has erectile dysfunction.
💡'dysfunction' is the standard noun; 'problem' is too vague in medical contexts.

2. the persistent, long-lasting inability to achieve or maintain an erection that m

2.名詞C1
釋義

the persistent, long-lasting inability to achieve or maintain an erection that meets the clinical criteria for a medical diagnosis, typically defined as lasting three months or longer and causing significant distress.

例句

The specialist diagnosed the patient with chronic erectile dysfunction after a full examination.

collocation: diagnosed with chronic erectile dysfunction

Doctors often screen for heart disease in patients who report long-term erectile dysfunction.

adjective + noun: long-term erectile dysfunction

同義詞
  • ED

    overlaps with sense 1; in clinical writing, ED typically implies the chronic form

  • male erectile disorder

    the formal DSM diagnostic label, rarely used outside of psychiatry and urology

文法句型

be diagnosed with chronic erectile dysfunction

suffer from long-term erectile dysfunction

用法筆記

This sense is used chiefly in clinical and research settings, where the duration and severity of the condition determine whether it meets the diagnostic threshold. Distinguish from sense 1, which covers occasional or mild difficulty.