sexuality
Americannoun
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the state or quality of being sexual
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preoccupation with or involvement in sexual matters
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the possession of sexual potency
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sexuality
Explanation
The noun sexuality can refer to sexual matters of all kinds. It often describes having sexual feelings. A novel about a teenager growing up may examine the awakening sexuality of its main character. Sexuality also describes a person's sexual preferences and orientation — meaning whether you're gay or straight. Sexuality can refer to erotic experiences, but it can also be used broadly to refer to how organisms — whether human or animal — reproduce. There are scientists who exclusively study sexuality, from the mating habits of animals to the peculiarities of how humans pair up.
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.
See Examples For:
As a result, she struggled with mental health and an aversion to sexuality from her youth onward, finding solace in artistic creation but little encouragement on that front from those around her.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
There were “many efforts at that time to define a so-called Christian moral politics around what they call family values, personal responsibility, what they defined as appropriate expression of sexuality and patriotism,” Drake said.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
He also privately approached Neil Patrick Harris to apologize for aggressively trying to out him as a gay man in 2006, before the actor had spoken about his sexuality publicly.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
"The protest will continue until people in every corner in the world can express their sexuality safely and proudly."
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
The whole question is so fraught with stereotype that we often resist exploring difference so as not to be limited in interest or talent by ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or any other factor outside our control.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
If Americans have learned anything from the past few years, rational, unhinged, unethical, and deceitful are characteristics that come in all ethnicities, genders, and sexualities.
From Slate ● Aug. 1, 2024
The individuals interviewed for the study represented a broad range of education levels, occupations, sexualities, and racial and ethnic backgrounds.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2023
At these day parties, DJs and attendees alike recognize and celebrate the rich, varied music and dance cultures throughout the African diaspora and across ages, genders and sexualities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2023
The Progress Pride Rainbow Flag Families flashcards “celebrate LGBT2SQ+ Families of diverse races, ages, sexualities, genders, and abilities,” according to the online store ByUS Box.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 1, 2022
Moreover, a man counts no more than a woman in their sum total of daily pleasure, and when they choose a comrade it is for human qualities, not sexualities.
From Seven Miles to Arden by Ruth Sawyer
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.
