homosexual
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
Borrowed from German Homosexual, from homo- (“same”) + sexual (“relating to sex or sexuality”), coined by Karl Maria Kertbeny in 1868, and popularized in Richard von Krafft-Ebing's 1886 Psychopathia Sexualis (in German) and Charles Gilbert Chaddock's 1892 English translation thereof (compare bisexual), displacing the slightly older term Uranian. Equivalent to homo- + -sexual.
PronunciationEdit
- (Received Pronunciation):
- (US):
AdjectiveEdit
homosexual (comparative more homosexual, superlative most homosexual)
- (of a person or animal, formal, distancing or dated) Sexually and/or romantically attracted to members of the same sex, such as a man who is attracted to men or a woman who is attracted to women; gay. (Typically used in the sense of sole/exclusive attraction.)
- No, it wouldn't make a difference if the applicant was homosexual.
- 1892 [1889], Charles Gilbert Chaddock, transl., Psychopathia Sexualis[1], Philadelphia: F. A. Davis, translation of Psychopathia Sexualis by R. von Krafft-Ebing, page 97:
- [H]e said he had never noticed anything homosexual in himself.
- 1983, Michael W. Ross, Homosexuality and Social Sex Roles:
- "Significant results indicate that Swedes would choose a more masculine partner the more homosexual they are, and that Finns would choose a more attractive partner the more homosexual they are."
- (of a romantic or sexual act or relationship, formal, distancing or dated) Between two people of the same sex; gay.
- Most western countries have repealed laws against homosexual activity between consenting adults.
- 2022 March 20, Maher, Bill; William Shatner, William Shatner, Club Random With Bill Maher[2], episode 1, Club Random Podcast, archived from the original on 05 April 2022, 56:37 from the start:
- Shatner: Have you ever had a homosexual experience?
Maher: No. Why, are you...? But it's early!
- (dated) Intended for or used by homosexuals, as a nightclub, a bar, etc.
- No one says "a homosexual bar" anymore; it's a "gay bar" or maybe a "lesbian bar".
Usage notesEdit
- Many style guides[1] and many gay people[2] recommend against the use of the word "homosexual" because of its clinical and sometimes pejorative connotations, preferring the terms gay and (for women) lesbian, and relationship descriptors like "same-sex relationship". Many consider it particularly pejorative when it is used as a noun, and prefer "gay man", "gay woman" (or "lesbian").
- The first part of the word derives from the Greek word for "same", which is traditionally pronounced /ˈhɒməʊ/, unlike the Latin word homo (“man, human being”), which is pronounced /ˈhəʊməʊ/ (RP). However, it is much more common to pronounce the first vowel as /əʊ/ (RP) / /oʊ/ (US) than as /ɒ/.
SynonymsEdit
- (all senses): gay, lesbian (used only of women)
- (attracted to members of the same sex): See Thesaurus:homosexual
- (between people of the same sex): same-sex
AntonymsEdit
- heterosexual, straight, See also Thesaurus:heterosexual
HyponymsEdit
Coordinate termsEdit
- (of humans): (sexual orientations) sexual orientation; asexual (-ity, ace), bisexual (-ity, bi), demisexual (-ity, demi), 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), vegansexual (-ity) (Category: en:Sexual orientations)
- (of humans): bi, hetero
- (of humans): homoromantic
Derived termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
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NounEdit
homosexual (plural homosexuals)
- (typically formal, distancing or dated) A person who is sexually attracted solely or primarily to others of the same sex.
- 1963, John Rechy, City of Night (page 48)
- Soon, we got up, walked around the west side — toward the "meat rack" — the gay part of the park. There, it was as if someone had hung a line of marionettes on the railing: the lonesome young homosexuals, legs dangling, looking, waiting for that one-night's sexual connection...
- 1997, The Advocate (number 742, page 9)
- It was unheard-of for those of us who are 30-something or older to have had an openly gay role model when we were young. Homosexuals weren't depicted in the media in a positive light, if at all.
- 1963, John Rechy, City of Night (page 48)
Usage notesEdit
- "Homosexual" as a noun is more often applied to males while females are more likely to be described as lesbians.
- Many style guides and gay people advise against the use of "homosexual" as a noun; see the usage notes above.
SynonymsEdit
- This section is divided into two tables, one containing synonyms that generally are not derogatory and one containing those that generally are. However, note that the non-derogatory terms can nonetheless be used derogatorily, and that some of the derogatory ones are often used humorously and non-derogatorily by gay people and others.
- of either sex
- gay (but see usage notes at gay)
- invert (dated psychological term)
- queer
- same-sexer
- only of men
- company man
- Uranian (historical, 19th century)
- only of women
Derived termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
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ReferencesEdit
- ^ GLAAD media reference guide, citing the AP and NYT style guides.
- ^ NYT article
BasqueEdit
AdjectiveEdit
homosexual (not comparable)
CatalanEdit
PronunciationEdit
- (Balearic) IPA(key): /o.mo.sək.suˈal/
- (Central) IPA(key): /u.mu.sək.suˈal/
- (Valencian) IPA(key): /o.mo.sek.suˈal/
AdjectiveEdit
homosexual (masculine and feminine plural homosexuals)
NounEdit
homosexual m or f (plural homosexuals)
Related termsEdit
GalicianEdit
EtymologyEdit
AdjectiveEdit
homosexual m or f (plural homosexuais)
- homosexual
- O comportamento homosexual obsérvase con frecuencia entre os mamíferos.
- Homosexual behaviour is frequently observed among mammals.
- O comportamento homosexual obsérvase con frecuencia entre os mamíferos.
NounEdit
homosexual m or f (plural homosexuais)
AntonymsEdit
Related termsEdit
- homosexualidade
- maricón (pejorative)
- homofobia
RomanianEdit
EtymologyEdit
From French homosexuel. Equivalent to homo- + sexual.
PronunciationEdit
AdjectiveEdit
homosexual m or n (feminine singular homosexuală, masculine plural homosexuali, feminine and neuter plural homosexuale)
- homosexual
- În lumea animală se observă comportamentul homosexual relativ frecvent la mamifere și la păsări
- In the animal world, homosexual behaviour is observed relatively frequent in mammals and birds.
- În lumea animală se observă comportamentul homosexual relativ frecvent la mamifere și la păsări
DeclensionEdit
singular | plural | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | neuter | feminine | masculine | neuter | feminine | ||
nominative/ accusative |
indefinite | homosexual | homosexuală | homosexuali | homosexuale | ||
definite | homosexualul | homosexuala | homosexualii | homosexualele | |||
genitive/ dative |
indefinite | homosexual | homosexuale | homosexuali | homosexuale | ||
definite | homosexualului | homosexualei | homosexualilor | homosexualelor |
NounEdit
homosexual m (plural homosexuali, feminine equivalent homosexuală)
DeclensionEdit
singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
indefinite articulation | definite articulation | indefinite articulation | definite articulation | |
nominative/accusative | (un) homosexual | homosexualul | (niște) homosexuali | homosexualii |
genitive/dative | (unui) homosexual | homosexualului | (unor) homosexuali | homosexualilor |
vocative | homosexualule | homosexualilor |
Related termsEdit
SpanishEdit
EtymologyEdit
PronunciationEdit
- IPA(key): /omoseɡˈswal/ [o.mo.seɣ̞ˈswal]
- Rhymes: -al
- Hyphenation: ho‧mo‧se‧xual
Audio (Colombia) (file)
AdjectiveEdit
homosexual (plural homosexuales)
- homosexual
- El comportamiento homosexual se observa con frecuencia entre los mamíferos.
- Homosexual behaviour is frequently observed among mammals.
Derived termsEdit
NounEdit
homosexual m or f (plural homosexuales)
- homosexual
- Antonym: heterosexual
Related termsEdit
- homosexualidad
- maricón (pejorative)
- homofobia
Further readingEdit
- “homosexual”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014