Homosexuality
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
- 1 The state of being sexually attracted primarily or exclusively to persons of the same sex, sometimes (potentially offensive) restricted to same-sex attraction between males. uncountable
"Great diminution or complete absence of sexual feeling for the opposite sex, with substitution of sexual feeling and instinct for the same sex. (Homo-sexuality, or contrary sexual instinct)."
- 2 a sexual attraction to (or sexual relations with) persons of the same sex wordnet
- 3 Sexual activity with a person of the same sex, sometimes (potentially offensive) restricted to same-sex sex between males. uncountable
"Bourneville believes that 75 per cent. of the inmates of the Parisian venereal hospitals have practised homosexuality."
Example
More examples"The anti-rational, anti-justice and anti-humane Christian malignancy is rearing its head yet again as it leads the fight against homosexuality on behalf of the divine trinity of unreason, injustice and hate."
Etymology
From homosexual + -ity, equivalent to homo- + sexuality and after the model of German Homosexualität, coined by journalist Karl Maria Kertbeny in 1869, and French homosexualité, attested in 1891.
Related phrases
More for "homosexuality"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.