# Phaedra complex

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A designation to the sexual desire of a stepparent for their stepchild; the term has been extended to cover difficult relationships between stepparents and stepchildren in general.

## Etymology
Named for the Cretan princess Phaedra who fell in love with her stepson, Hippolytus of Athens in Greek Mythology.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/phaedra-complex