vagina dentata /vəˌdʒʌɪnə dɛnˈteɪtə
, vəˌdʒʌɪnə dɛnˈtɑːtə
/ ▸ noun the motif of a vagina with teeth, occurring in folklore and fantasy and said to symbolize male fears of castration or the dangers of sexual intercourse. – ORIGIN early 20th century: dentata, feminine of Latin dentatus ‘having teeth’.