lesbian

American  

[lez-bee-uhn] / ˈlɛz bi ən /

noun

1. 1. a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted to other women; a gay woman.

   2. a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted exclusively to other women; a gay woman.

2. Lesbian, an inhabitant of the island of Lesbos.

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adjective

1. 1. of, relating to, or being a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted to people of her own sex or gender.

   2. of, relating to, or being a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted exclusively to people of her own sex or gender.

2. Sometimes Lesbian erotic; sensual

3. Lesbian, of or relating to Lesbos.

Lesbian ¹ British  

/ ˈlɛzbɪən /

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Lesbos

2. the Aeolic dialect of Ancient Greek spoken in Lesbos

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adjective

1. of or relating to Lesbos

2. of or relating to the poetry of Lesbos, esp that of Sappho

lesbian ² British  

/ ˈlɛzbɪən /

noun

1. a female homosexual

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adjective

1. of or characteristic of lesbians

lesbian Cultural  

1. A homosexual woman. (See also gay.)

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Usage

What's the difference between lesbian and Sapphic? See gay ( def. ).

Other Word Forms

• lesbianism noun

Etymology

Origin of lesbian

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin Lesbi(us) “Lesbian” (from Greek Lésbios, equivalent to Lésb(os) “Lesbos” ( Lesbos ) + -ios adjective suffix) + -an; lesbian defs. 1, 3 allude to the poet Sappho of Lesbos, whose verse deals largely with her emotional relationships with other women

Example Sentences

Through the sepia filter of today, it can be easy to romanticize this tale — a lesbian champion of the arts making the world safe for Modernism.

From Los Angeles Times

Reformatories were institutions where girls and young women who refused to conform to the Franco regime's Catholic values were detained - single mothers, girls with boyfriends, lesbians.

From BBC

The King attended his first official engagement in support of the community in October, as he unveiled a memorial to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender military personnel.

From BBC

He opposed a constitutional ban on gay marriage - supported by President Bush - because his daughter Mary was a lesbian.

From BBC

“What we’re seeing is a witch hunt against lesbians,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal