sexual orientation

American  

[sek-shoo-uhl awr-ee-uhn-tey-shuhn, ‐en‐] / ˈsɛk ʃu əl ˌɔr i ənˈteɪ ʃən, ‐ɛn‐ /

noun

1. one's inherent attraction to a sexual partner of a certain gender, or the absence of gender preference in a sexual relationship; one’s identity as asexual, bisexual, heterosexual, gay, pansexual, etc.

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sexual orientation Cultural  

1. Preference for sexual activity with people of the opposite sex, the same sex, or both. (See bisexuality, heterosexuality, and homosexuality.)

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Etymology

Origin of sexual orientation

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

Almost 30 states have curbed or outlawed “therapy” that seeks to change minors’ sexual orientation or gender identity—that is, to make them stop being gay, bisexual, or transgender.

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

She said she does not seek to “cure” clients of same-sex attractions or to “change” their sexual orientation.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

Sixteen states don’t have any anti-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity, meaning for LGBTQI+ people living in those states, federal court is their only hope.

From Salon • Jan. 23, 2026

Existing protected groups are race, sexual orientation, religion and disability.

From BBC • Dec. 13, 2025

From our much more broadminded twenty-first-century North American viewpoint, it’s important to remember that identifying yourself as male or female doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with your sexual orientation.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein