heterosexuality

American  

[het-er-uh-sek-shoo-al-i-tee, -seks-yoo-] / ˌhɛt ər əˌsɛk ʃuˈæl ɪ ti, -ˌsɛks ju- /

noun

1. sexual desire or behavior directed toward people of the other binary gender.

2. the state of being sexually attracted only to the other binary gender.

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heterosexuality British  

/ ˌhɛtərəʊˌsɛksjʊˈælɪtɪ /

noun

1. sexual attraction to or sexual relations with a person or persons of the opposite sex Compare homosexuality

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heterosexuality Cultural  

1. Sexual attraction between a male and a female. (Compare bisexuality and homosexuality.)

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Etymology

Origin of heterosexuality

First recorded in 1895–1900; hetero- + sexuality

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

heterosexuality

These dynamics are not exclusive to monogamy or heterosexuality.

From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026

“It made me think about my own appreciation for the experience of male heterosexuality and how much it’s been commodified.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

But this book isn’t interested in gender, or heterosexuality.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 10, 2025

In the three decades since Martin's study, Almeling said, scholars and advocates have increasingly challenged the presumption of heterosexuality and the categorization of bodies as either male or female.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2023

On leaving the university his heterosexuality asserted itself normally.

From Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 2 Sexual Inversion by Havelock Ellis

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