What does "pansexual" mean?
Someone who is attracted to all types of people regardless of gender.
Pansexual
/pænˈsɛk.ʃu.əl/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Someone who is attracted to all types of people regardless of gender.
- Grammar: pansexual is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: all genders oriented, gender inclusive, omnisexual, pansexual adult.
- Useful contrasts: asexual, heterosexual, monosexual.
- Usage evidence: The term "pansexual" has recently become a popular alternative to "bisexual."
How to use "pansexual"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pansexual" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pansexual" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pansexual" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pansexual" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "all genders oriented" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Someone who is attracted to all types of people regardless of gender.
- 2 a person who participates in (or is open to) sexual activities of many kinds wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Sexually attracted to people regardless of gender. not-comparable
"Karen and Carlos are definitely pansexual people who have paired off to have this child, and this seems real and good to them now. When I had been with Karen, she had floated through several gay relationships, […] all my friends had been what I would call pansexual, avoiding the older term bisexual, which is meaningless when you can count more than two sexes."
- 2 Sexually attracted to everyone. not-comparable
"To the end he [Walt Whitman] denied that he was homosexual; his writings are pansexual, finding carnal ripeness in the soul, in nature, as well as in men and women."
- 3 Welcoming people of all sexual orientations. not-comparable
"We like to attend pansexual group sex parties, which means that attendees may identify as gay or lesbian or bisexual or hetero or transgendered, but are generally comfortable and happy to play side-by-side with people whose desires may be entirely different than their own."
- 4 Pertaining to the psychological theory of pansexualism. not-comparable
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The term "pansexual" has recently become a popular alternative to "bisexual.""
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pansexual"?
Common synonyms include: all genders oriented, gender inclusive, omnisexual, pansexual adult, pansexual category, pansexual identity.
How do you use "pansexual" in a sentence?
The term "pansexual" has recently become a popular alternative to "bisexual."
How do you pronounce "pansexual"?
Pronounced /pænˈsɛk.ʃu.əl/.
Etymology
From pan- + -sexual. First attested in 1926 (with pansexualism attested since 1917), as a descriptor of the psychological theory that all human activity is based on sexuality. Used to describe a sexual orientation since at least the 1970s.