lesbian
/ˈlɛz.bi.ən/
Adjective (comparative more lesbian, superlative most lesbian)
- (of a woman) Homosexual, gay; preferring exclusively women as romantic or sexual partners.
- (of a woman, loosely) Preferring primarily women as romantic or sexual partners.
- (of a romantic or sexual act or relationship) Between two or more women; homosexual, gay.
- (especially of an institution or group) Intended for lesbians.
Noun (plural lesbians)
- A homosexual woman, one who is exclusively sexually or romantically attracted to other women.
Etymology
From Latin Lesbiana, from Ancient Greek Λέσβος (Lésbos) + Latin adjective suffix -iana; by reference to Sappho of Lesbos (whence also sapphist, sapphic), known for her sentimental poems about women. This sense of the word may have been borrowed from, or influenced by, the German cognate lesbisch, where it is found in medical literature from the 1830s.
Usage Notes
- Many dictionaries define lesbian simply as a woman who is sexually (or romantically) attracted to other women. It especially refers to one who is attracted mostly or exclusively to other women. It is sometimes used in a way that includes other (e.g. bisexual) women who love women, or certain non-binary people.
Antonyms
bennetian, darcian
Hypernyms
gay, homo-
Coordinate terms
turian
Derived Terms
lesbianism
Related Terms
faunic
References
- lesbian - Wiktionary