Sapphic
Americanadjective
noun
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Greek Literature. a verse using certain meters or forms used by or named after Sappho.
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Slang. Sometimes sapphic a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted to other women.
adjective
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prosody denoting a metre associated with Sappho, consisting generally of a trochaic pentameter line with a dactyl in the third foot
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of or relating to Sappho or her poetry
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lesbian
noun
Usage
What's the difference between Sapphic and lesbian? See gay ( def. ).
Etymology
Origin of Sapphic
First recorded in 1495–1505; from Latin sapphicus, from Greek sapphikós, equivalent to Sapph(ṓ) the name of a famous Greek poet ( see Sappho ( def. )) + -ikos adjective suffix; see -ic
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.
Romance: In “An Island Princess Starts a Scandal” by Adriana Herrera, a Venezuelan heiress has a few weeks to live her best Sapphic life before she must marry a dull man.
From New York Times ● Jun. 1, 2023
"I did not have Madonna comes out on TikTok by throwing underwear at a basketball hoop on my Sapphic Mad Libs Bingo card today, but I don't mind being surprised," says Autostraddle writer Heather Hogan.
From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2022
Malinda Lo is a Chinese American lesbian immigrant who primarily writes Sapphic YA fantasy and historical fiction.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 1, 2022
The all-queer Sapphic team works exclusively with queer talent and performers, prioritizing Black, Indigenous and people of color dancers, DJs and entertainers.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 2, 2022
Dr. Watts wrote a Sapphic ode on the "Last Judgment," which notwithstanding the solemnity of the subject, almost provokes a smile.
From History of English Humour, Vol. 2 by L'Estrange, Alfred Guy Kingan
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.
