In its modern usage the term
catamite refers to a boy as the passive or receiving partner in anal intercourse with a man. In its ancient usage a
catamite (
Latin catamitus) was a
pubescent boy who was the intimate companion of a young man in
ancient Greece and
Rome, usually in a
pederastic relationship. It was usually a term of affection and literally means "
Ganymede" in Latin. It was also used as a term of insult when directed toward a grown man. The word derives from the
proper noun Catamitus, the Latinized form of
Ganymede, the beautiful
Trojan youth abducted by
Zeus to be his companion and cupbearer. The
Etruscan form of the name was
Catmite, from an alternate Greek form of the name,
Gadymedes.