homosexual
[ hoh-muh-sek-shoo-uh l or, esp. British, -seks-yoo- ]
/ ˌhoʊ məˈsɛk ʃu əl or, esp. British, -ˈsɛks yu- /
adjective
Older Use: Sometimes Disparaging. sexually attracted to members of one's own sex: homosexual students.
Older Use: Sometimes Disparaging. of or relating to sexual desire or behavior directed toward members of one's own sex: the homosexual subculture.
Archaic. of, relating to, or noting the same sex: pregnant with homosexual twins.
noun
Older Use: Sometimes Disparaging. a homosexual person.
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usage note for homosexual
Up until 1986, 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 may feel that the term homosexual stills carries a negative connotation. And some feel that this word places undue emphasis on sexual activity, or that it sounds overly clinical. In fact, homosexual as an adjective and noun is somewhat dated, except in medical and other formal contexts; the term gay has mostly replaced it. People who still use homosexual are usually unaware that the term may be 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 WORDS FROM homosexual
an·ti·ho·mo·sex·u·al, adjectiveWords nearby homosexual
homopterous, homorganic, homoromantic, homoscedastic, homoserine, homosexual, homosexuality, homosocial, homosporous, homospory, homostyled
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for homosexual
British Dictionary definitions for homosexual
homosexual
/ (ˌhəʊməʊˈsɛksjʊəl, ˌhɒm-) /
noun
a person who is sexually attracted to members of the same sex
adjective
of or relating to homosexuals or homosexuality
of or relating to the same sex
Compare heterosexual
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Medical definitions for homosexual
homosexual
[ hō′mə-sĕk′shōō-əl, -mō- ]
adj.
Of, relating to, or having a sexual orientation to persons of the same sex.
n.
A homosexual person; a gay man or a lesbian.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.