heterosexual
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or exhibiting heterosexuality, sexual desire or behavior directed toward people of the other binary gender.
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Biology. of or relating to different sexes.
heterosexual fraternal twins.
noun
noun
adjective
Etymology
Origin of heterosexual
Explanation
A heterosexual person is attracted to people of the opposite sex. Boys who like girls and women who like men are heterosexual. Being heterosexual has long been considered "normal" in our society. When you think of a married couple or parents, it's usually been a man and woman — in other words, a heterosexual couple. However, being heterosexual is only one sexual orientation. Other people are gay, or homosexual. Our culture is slowly starting to accept that heterosexuality isn't the only acceptable sexual orientation. Another word for heterosexual is straight.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Slemrod surmised that by 2030, the number of man-first tax returns might be 3 to 4 percentage points lower, or about 85% of heterosexual married couples.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026
She was able to examine heterosexual couples working in the same establishment, and where one partner is a manager and the other is not.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 28, 2026
The legislation will also fix what the minister called "disparities" in how same-sex and heterosexual couples can register a birth or stillbirth.
From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025
Projections suggest the global surrogacy market will exceed $129 billion by 2034—fueled not only by men but also by heterosexual couples with fertility challenges.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 19, 2025
And anyway, terms like homosexual or heterosexual made no sense if you didn’t identify as one gender or another.
From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
