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

Explanation

Homosexual is a noun and adjective. Either way, it has to do with people who are attracted to members of the same sex. Homosexuals are attracted to people of their own sex in romantic and sexual ways. A lesbian is specifically a homosexual woman, and the word gay applies to men and women who are homosexual, though more often men. Homosexual people have faced a lot of prejudice, just like women, African-Americans, and other groups. But society is working to support homosexual people as equal citizens with equal rights.

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

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

The vote on same-sex marriage in the Republic of Ireland was held 22 years after homosexual acts were decriminalised in the country.

From BBC • May 21, 2025

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

From Salon • Feb. 26, 2025

In one society, homosexual relationships might have been accepted, while in the other they were taboo.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari