homosexual

American  

[hoh-muh-sek-shoo-uhl, -seks-yoo-] / ˌhoʊ məˈsɛk ʃu əl, -ˈsɛks yu- /

adjective

1. Often Disparaging and Offensive. sexually attracted to people of one's own sex or gender; gay.

   homosexual couples.

2. Often Disparaging and Offensive. of or relating to sexual desire or behavior directed toward people of one's own sex or gender.

3. Archaic. of, relating to, or noting the same sex.

   She gave birth to homosexual twins.

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noun

1. Often Disparaging and Offensive.

   1. a person, especially a man, who is sexually attracted to people of the same sex or gender.

   2. a person, especially a man, who is sexually attracted exclusively to people of the same sex or gender.

homosexual British  

/ ˌhɒm-, ˌhəʊməʊˈsɛksjʊəl /

noun

1. a person who is sexually attracted to members of the same sex

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adjective

1. of or relating to homosexuals or homosexuality

2. of or relating to the same sex

Sensitive Note

Up until 1973, homosexuality was listed in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), psychiatry's standard reference on the classification of mental illness. People aware of this former categorization feel that the term homosexual still carries a negative connotation. And many feel that this word places undue emphasis on sexual activity, or that it sounds overly clinical. In fact, homosexual as an adjective and noun has been mostly replaced by gay except in medical or other formal contexts. People who still use homosexual are usually unaware that the term is a sensitive one, although some do use it with intent to cause offense. However, not all members of the gay community object to it. See also gay.

Other Word Forms

• antihomosexual adjective

Etymology

Origin of homosexual

First recorded in 1890–95; homo- + sexual

Example Sentences

A not-so-closeted homosexual, he also waxes lyrical about his infatuation with a young Yale student, played by a bottle-blonde Margaret Qualley, and shares drinks with "Charlotte's Web" author E.B.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

In September last year, Burkina Faso's transitional parliament approved a bill banning homosexual acts, while its neighbour Mali also adopted legislation criminalising homosexuality in 2024.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

Strict gender separation common to early 19th century social structures underwent unexpected transformation after the binaries of heterosexual and homosexual were invented in 1869.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2025

Like any burgeoning homosexual child, I came equipped with the gay starter pack that included talkativeness and flamboyance.

From Salon • Feb. 26, 2025

So these sailors stayed in San Francisco, growing in number and attracting others, until the city became the gay capital, the homosexual Hauptstadt.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides