promiscuous
Americanadjective
-
characterized by or involving indiscriminate mingling or association, especially having sexual relations with a number of partners on a casual basis.
- Synonyms:
- wild, abandoned, licentious
- Antonyms:
- chaste
-
consisting of parts, elements, or individuals of different kinds brought together without order.
-
indiscriminate; without discrimination; not selective.
- Synonyms:
- unthinking, thoughtless, random
- Antonyms:
- selective
adjective
-
indulging in casual and indiscriminate sexual relationships
-
consisting of a number of dissimilar parts or elements mingled in a confused or indiscriminate manner
-
indiscriminate in selection
-
casual or heedless
Related Words
See miscellaneous.
Other Word Forms
- hyperpromiscuous adjective
- hyperpromiscuously adverb
- hyperpromiscuousness noun
- nonpromiscuous adjective
- nonpromiscuously adverb
- nonpromiscuousness noun
- promiscuously adverb
- promiscuousness noun
- unpromiscuous adjective
- unpromiscuously adverb
- unpromiscuousness noun
Etymology
Origin of promiscuous
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin prōmiscuus “mixed up,” equivalent to prō- pro- 1 + misc(ēre) “to mix” + -uus adjective suffix; mix, -ous
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.
Forcing senators to stand and deliver would make it more difficult to filibuster, ending its promiscuous overuse, Merkley suggested, and — ideally— engaging the public in a way privately messaging fellow senators — I dissent! — does not.
From Los Angeles Times
Bacteria are also "promiscuous," easily exchanging genetic material.
From Salon
H5N1 has shown itself to be promiscuous, rapidly gaining new hosts — wild birds and poultry, mice and bears, cats and sea lions.
From New York Times
What makes the oldfield mouse steadfastly monogamous throughout its life while its closest rodent relatives are promiscuous?
From Science Daily
She had a difficult childhood, being placed as a teenager in Dublin in one of the notorious former Magdalene laundries, originally set up to incarcerate young girls deemed to be promiscuous.
From BBC
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.
