genital stage /jen″itəl/ [L, genitalis + Fr, stage, trial period] , (in psychoanalysis) the final period in freudian psychosexual development, beginning with adolescence and continuing through the adult years, when the genitals are the predominant source of pleasurable stimulation. The most significant feature of this stage is direction of sexual interest not just toward self-satisfaction but toward establishment of a stable and meaningful relationship. See also psychosexual development.
