tribade

American  

[trib-uhd] / ˈtrɪb əd /

noun

1. lesbian.

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tribade British  

/ trɪˈbædɪk, ˈtrɪbəd /

noun

1. a lesbian, esp one who practises tribadism

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Other Word Forms

• tribadic adjective

Etymology

Origin of tribade

1595–1605; < French < Latin tribad- (stem of tribas ) < Greek tribás, equivalent to trib-, variant stem of trī́b ( ein ) to rub + -as (stem -ad- ) -ade ²

Example Sentences

Indeed, terms such as “tribade” and “sapphism” competed with “lesbian” or “lesbianism” throughout the 19th century and into the 20th, sometimes rivalling them in prominence.

From Washington Post

It is called Lesbian love or saphism; and the women inverts are known as tribades.

From Project Gutenberg