homosexuality

[hoh-muh-sek-shoo-al-i-tee, -seks-yoo-]

noun

Sometimes Disparaging and Offensive.

1. sexual desire or behavior directed toward people of one's own sex or gender.

2. the state of being sexually attracted only to people of one's own sex or gender.

homosexuality

/ ˌhɒm-, ˌhəʊməʊˌsɛksjʊˈælɪtɪ /

noun

1. sexual attraction to or sexual relations with members of the same sex Compare heterosexuality

homosexuality

1. A sexual attraction between persons of the same sex. (See gay and lesbian; compare heterosexuality.)

Usage

Is “homosexuality” offensive? See homosexual.

Other Word Forms

• antihomosexuality noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of homosexuality¹

First recorded in 1890–95; homo- + sexuality

Example Sentences

The obsession that too many of those same church leaders had over abortion and homosexuality — which Christ never talked about — over social justice matters during the Obama administration left me disappointed.

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A Houthi court last year sentenced nine people accused of homosexuality to death—some by stoning, the others by crucifixion, according to Amnesty International.

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They fear that America is inadvertently following the homophobic biases of countries like Iran, where homosexuality is illegal and gay people are forced to choose between prison or gender transition.

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Commander Woods, who lives in Hove, East Sussex, joined the Navy in 1978 and had to hide his sexuality until the Armed Forces' ban on homosexuality was lifted in January 2000.

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He was also gay at a time when homosexuality was criminalized in Britain.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal