homosexual

== English == === Etymology === 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 Psychopathia Sexualis (2nd ed. 1887, in German) and Charles Gilbert Chaddock's 1892 English translation thereof (compare bisexual), displacing the slightly older term Uranian. Equivalent to homo- +‎ -sexual. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation): IPA(key): /ˌhɒməʊˈsɛksjuːəl/, /ˌhɒməʊˈsɛkʃuːəl/ IPA(key): /ˌhəʊməʊˈsɛksjuːəl/, /ˌhəʊməʊˈsɛkʃuːəl/ (US): enPR: hō'mə-sĕkʹsho͞o-əl, hō'mō-sĕkʹsho͞o-əl, IPA(key): /ˌhoʊməˈsɛkʃuːəl/, /ˌhoʊmoʊˈsɛkʃuːəl/ Rhymes: -ɛkʃuəl, -ɛkʃuːəl Hyphenation: ho‧mo‧sex‧ual === Adjective === homosexual (comparative more homosexual, superlative most homosexual) (of a person or other 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.) (of a romantic or sexual act or relationship, formal, distancing or dated) Between two people of the same sex; gay. (dated) Intended for or used by homosexuals, as a nightclub, a bar, etc. ==== Usage notes ==== Many style guides and many gay people 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/. ==== Synonyms ==== (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 ==== Antonyms ==== heterosexual, straight, See also Thesaurus:heterosexual ==== Hyponyms ==== heteroflexible homoflexible ==== Coordinate terms ==== (of humans): (of humans): homoromantic ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Noun === homosexual (plural homosexuals) (typically formal, distancing or dated) A person who is sexually attracted solely or primarily to others of the same sex. ==== Usage notes ==== "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. ==== Synonyms ==== 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. ==== Derived terms ==== homo ==== Translations ==== === References === == Basque == === Etymology === Borrowed from Spanish homosexual. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /omos̺eks̺ual/ [o.mo.s̺ek.s̺u.al], /omos̺eks̺wal/ [o.mo.s̺eks̺.wal] Rhymes: -ual, -al, -eks̺wal, -al === Adjective === homosexual (not comparable) homosexual ==== Declension ==== ==== Related terms ==== === Further reading === “homosexual”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy] (in Basque), Euskaltzaindia [Royal Academy of the Basque Language] == Catalan == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Central) [ˌɔ.mu.sək.suˈal] IPA(key): (Balearic) [ˌɔ.mo.sək.suˈal] IPA(key): (Valencia) [ˌɔ.mo.sek.suˈal] === Adjective === homosexual m or f (masculine and feminine plural homosexuals) homosexual === Noun === homosexual m or f by sense (plural homosexuals) homosexual ==== Related terms ==== homosexualitat == Galician == === Etymology === From homo- +‎ sexual. === Adjective === homosexual m or f (plural homosexuais) homosexual === Noun === homosexual m or f by sense (plural homosexuais) homosexual ==== Antonyms ==== heterosexual ==== Related terms ==== homosexualidade maricón (pejorative) homofobia == German == === Etymology === Coined by Austro-Hungarian writer, journalist, translator and bibliographer Karl-Maria Kertbeny in 1868, from homo- +‎ sexual. === Adjective === homosexual (strong nominative masculine singular homosexualer, not comparable) dated form of homosexuell ==== Declension ==== ==== Coordinate terms ==== heterosexual ==== Related terms ==== Homosexualer == Romanian == === Alternative forms === хомосексуал (homosexual) — post-1930s Cyrillic spelling === Etymology === Borrowed from French homosexuel. By surface analysis, homo- +‎ sexual. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˌho.mo.sek.suˈal/ Rhymes: -al Hyphenation: ho‧mo‧se‧xu‧al === Adjective === homosexual m or n (feminine singular homosexuală, masculine plural homosexuali, feminine/neuter plural homosexuale) homosexual ==== Declension ==== === Noun === homosexual m (plural homosexuali, feminine equivalent homosexuală) homosexual Synonyms: gay, pederast ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== === References === “homosexual”, in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language) (in Romanian), 2004–2026 == Spanish == === Etymology === From homo- +‎ sexual. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /omoseɡˈswal/ [o.mo.seɣ̞ˈswal] Rhymes: -al Syllabification: ho‧mo‧se‧xual === Adjective === homosexual m or f (masculine and feminine plural homosexuales) homosexual ==== Derived terms ==== === Noun === homosexual m or f by sense (plural homosexuales) homosexual Antonym: heterosexual ==== Related terms ==== === Further reading === “homosexual”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025