bisexual

[bahy-sek-shoo-uhl]

adjective

1. noting or relating to a person who is sexually or romantically attracted to people of more than one gender, sometimes understood to include attraction to one's own sex or gender and at least one other sex or gender.

2. Biology.

   1. of both biological sexes.

   2. combining male and female organs in one individual.

noun

1. a person who is sexually or romantically attracted to people of more than one gender, sometimes understood to include attraction to one's own sex or gender and at least one other sex or gender.

2. Biology.,  an animal or plant that has the reproductive organs of both biological sexes.

bisexual

/ baɪˈsɛksjʊəl, baɪˌsɛksjʊˈælɪtɪ /

adjective

1. sexually attracted by both men and women

2. showing characteristics of both sexes

   a bisexual personality

3. (of some plants and animals) having both male and female reproductive organs

4. of or relating to both sexes

noun

1. a bisexual organism; a hermaphrodite

2. a bisexual person

Sensitive Note

As with many other labels used to describe people, the adjective form ( a bisexual author ) is preferred over the noun form. The noun, while sometimes acceptable in the plural (a flag designed for bisexuals ), is often less acceptable in the singular ( a bisexual I work with), especially when not used for self-reference.

Confusables Note

Bisexual is sometimes interpreted to mean romantic, emotional, or sexual attraction to exactly two genders, often but not always men and women. However, since at least the 1990s, many bisexual people have been using definitions that acknowledge attraction to more than two genders, including people who do not fit into the gender binary. For some speakers, the bi- in bisexual refers to a gender or genders that are the same as or similar to their own, and a gender or genders that are different from their own. For others, the bi- in bisexual is simply an etymological quirk, like the octo- in October, which is no longer the eighth month. The debate over the definition of bi- also extends to related labels such as pansexual and omnisexual. Pansexual, for example, is sometimes defined as attraction regardless of gender, and omnisexual as attraction to any gender but not regardless of gender. However, bisexual, pansexual, and omnisexual can all be accurately used to describe a person who is attracted to men, women, and other genders, and some speakers use these words interchangeably. Many factors may be involved in a person's choice of which label to use for their sexuality.

Other Word Forms

• bisexuality noun
• bisexualism noun
• bisexually adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of bisexual¹

First recorded in 1815–25; bi- ¹ + sexual

Example Sentences

It’s three years before the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is issued by the Department of Defense to halt harassment and discrimination of closeted gay and bisexual service men and women.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

However, there are no openly gay or bisexual players in the Premier League.

Read more on BBC

Choosing federal funds over equality, schools had shown their gay, lesbian and bisexual students what their rights were worth.

Read more on Salon

Meanwhile, 53% of Reform voters believe that attempts to give equal opportunities for lesbians, gay men and bisexuals have "gone too far".

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California law requires students learn and be provided instructional materials that explain the “role and contributions” of, among others, “lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times