homosexuality
English
Etymology
From homosexual + -ity or homo- + sexuality
Pronunciation
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ælɪti
Noun
homosexuality (usually uncountable, plural homosexualities)
- The state of being sexually attracted primarily or exclusively to persons of the same sex.
- Sexual activity with a person of the same sex.
Usage notes
Homosexuality in women is also known as lesbianism. As homosexuality applies to people of either sex, the expression homosexuality and lesbianism is redundant and is best replaced by homosexuality or lesbianism alone as appropriate. Different cultural constructions of same-sex love are collectively referred to as homosexualities.
Synonyms
- gayness
- homosexualism
- lesbianism (applied only to women)
- uranism (obsolete)
Antonyms
- heterosexuality
- straightness (slang)
Hypernyms
Coordinate terms
- (sexual orientations) sexual orientation; asexual (-ity, ace), bisexual (-ity, bi), demisexual (-ity), graysexual (-ity), heterosexual (-ity, straight), homosexual (-ity, gay, lesbian), omnisexual (-ity), pansexual (-ity, pan), plurisexual (-ity), polysexual (-ity), robosexual (-ity), sapiosexual (-ity), androsexual (-ity), gynesexual (-ity) (Category: en:Sexual orientations)
Related terms
Translations
sexual orientation
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