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• lesbian
  lesbian
• Lesbian
  Lesbian

  noun

  a native or inhabitant of Lesbos

lesbian

American  

[lez-bee-uhn] / ˈlɛz bi ən /

noun

• lesbians
  plural

1. 1. a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted to other women; a gay woman.

   2. a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted exclusively to other women; a gay woman.

2. Lesbian, an inhabitant of the island of Lesbos.

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adjective

1. 1. of, relating to, or being a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted to people of her own sex or gender.

   2. of, relating to, or being a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted exclusively to people of her own sex or gender.

2. Sometimes Lesbian erotic; sensual

3. Lesbian, of or relating to Lesbos.

Lesbian ¹ British  

/ ˈlɛzbɪən /

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Lesbos

2. the Aeolic dialect of Ancient Greek spoken in Lesbos

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adjective

1. of or relating to Lesbos

2. of or relating to the poetry of Lesbos, esp that of Sappho

lesbian ² British  

/ ˈlɛzbɪən /

noun

1. a female homosexual

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adjective

1. of or characteristic of lesbians

lesbian Cultural  

1. A homosexual woman. (See also gay.)

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Usage

What's the difference between lesbian and Sapphic? See gay ( def. ).

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• lesbianism
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• lesbians
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of lesbian

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin Lesbi(us) “Lesbian” (from Greek Lésbios, equivalent to Lésb(os) “Lesbos” ( see Lesbos) + -ios adjective suffix) + -an; lesbian defs. 1, 3 allude to the poet Sappho of Lesbos, whose verse deals largely with her emotional relationships with other women

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Explanation

A lesbian is a woman who is attracted to other women. Two married women are in a lesbian relationship. This is a word for women who are homosexual. Though homosexual women are often called gay, it's more common to call them lesbians. Lesbians are sexually attracted to other women. You can also use this word as an adjective. For example, a gay female director is a lesbian film maker. There could also be a book of lesbian fiction. This word comes from the name of the island of Lesbos, whose famous poet Sappho was believed to be a lesbian.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lesbian Lesbian lesbians

Between 2019 and 2024, the number of over-50s identifying as lesbian, gay or bisexual in the UK increased by around a third - from roughly 340,000 to almost 460,000.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

To the best of their knowledge, they are the only openly lesbian and gay direct descendants of Jefferson and Hemings.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

In the Emmy-winning “Cousin Liz” episode of “All in the Family,” she played the lesbian partner of Edith’s late cousin.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

Six years ago, the transgender-rights movement won a landmark victory when the high court ruled that the Civil Rights Act’s prohibition on sex discrimination in the workplace extends to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

Thankfully Lindsey was back doing her lesbian bravado, and she said, “I’m making you a mix tape like the second I get home,” and pulled me in for another hug, a real one.

From "The Miseducation of Cameron Post" by emily m. danforth

Lesbian and Gay History and Muslim Masculinities, absorbing everything my instructors had to say about “queerness”—until I learned what they actually meant by the term.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 2, 2026

Lesbian groups - protected under "sexual orientation" in the 2010 Act - also say it could affect their ability to have exclusive clubs.

From BBC ● Nov. 25, 2024

Lesbian businesses are great for the queer women’s community, but making them profitable is a different matter.

From Slate ● May 28, 2024

During a primetime special, he showed a video clip of me and my boyfriend kissing on the National Mall, taken during the National March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Rights.

From Salon ● Dec. 28, 2023

The letter was from two groups that might have been expected to support O’Malley’s decision to charge Richard as an adult: the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Transgender Law Center.

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater

Grace is now 34 and runs a charity, the Uganda Minority Shelters Consortium, which provides safe housing to gay men and lesbians across Uganda.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 22, 2026

“Gays and lesbians have a history of being blindsided, and you don’t want to become part of that narrative. Give me a week or two to reach out to the community.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2026

Modern lesbians could only hope to be so fortunate.

From Salon ● Feb. 13, 2026

Reformatories were institutions where girls and young women who refused to conform to the Franco regime's Catholic values were detained - single mothers, girls with boyfriends, lesbians.

From BBC ● Nov. 15, 2025

A number of these women are lesbians, newly declared or changing over.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

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