lesbian

See also: Lesbian

English

Etymology

From Latin Lesbiana, from Ancient Greek Λέσβος (Lésbos) + Latin adjective suffix -iana; by reference to Sappho of Lesbos (whence also sapphist, sapphic), known for her sentimental poems about women. This sense of the word may have been borrowed from, or influenced, by the German cognate lesbisch, where it is found in medical literature from the 1830s.

Pronunciation

Adjective

lesbian (comparative more lesbian, superlative most lesbian)

  1. (of a woman) Homosexual; preferring female romantic or sexual partners.
    She is lesbian.
  2. (of a romantic or sexual act or relationship) Between two or more women; homosexual.
    • 1855 [1854], Charles Hempel, transl., Homœopathic guide in all diseases of the Urinary and Sexual Organs, Philadelphia: Rademacher & Sheek, translation of Der homöopathische Rathgeber: in allen Krankheiten der Geschlechts- und Harnwerkzeuge by Wilhelm Gollmann, page 201:
      The so-termed Lesbian love is a vice of a still more hideous and degrading nature than pederasty.
    a lesbian relationship / marriage / kiss
    • 2011, Michael Bruce, ‎Robert M. Stewart, College Sex - Philosophy for Everyone →ISBN, page 32:
      […] Madonna's infamous nationally televised lesbian kiss with Britney Spears […]
  3. (especially of an institution or group) Intended for lesbians.
    We're going to a lesbian bar tonight.
    • 2000, Bonnie Zimmerman, Encyclopedia of lesbian and gay histories and cultures, volume 1, page 135:
      Some lesbians also felt comfortable in the entertainment clubs in the black section of the city; these clubs were not lesbian but were lesbian friendly.
    • 2008, Carl Abbott, How cities won the West: four centuries of urban change, page 283:
      Openly gay poets such as Allen Ginsberg were prominent among the beats, and many North Beach bars were gay and lesbian as well as bohemian.

Synonyms

  • (of a woman: preferring female partners): dyke (usually offensive, but reclaimed by some lesbians), gay (preferred by some lesbians), homosexual (not specific to female homosexuality)
  • (between women; pertaining to female homosexuality): dyke (usually offensive, but reclaimed by some lesbians), gay (preferred by some lesbians), homosexual (not specific to female homosexuality)

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

Noun

lesbian (plural lesbians)

  1. A homosexual female, a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted to other women.

Synonyms

Hypernyms

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Anagrams

Interlingua

Adjective

lesbian (not comparable)

  1. lesbian

Hypernyms

Derived terms

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French lesbien.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /les.biˈan/

Adjective

lesbian m, n (feminine singular lesbiană, masculine plural lesbieni, feminine and neuter plural lesbiene)

  1. lesbian

Declension

See also

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