lesbian en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈlɛz.bi.ən/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
- (General-American) audio
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.
Meanings
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(of a woman) Homosexual, gay; preferring exclusively women as romantic or sexual partners.
Lesbian fans of the show were rooting for Jane and Amanda to get together.
- (broadly, of a woman) Homosexual, gay; preferring exclusively women as romantic or sexual partners. ▸ Preferring primarily women as romantic or sexual partners.
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(of a romantic or sexual act or relationship) Between two or more women; homosexual, gay.
a lesbian relationship / marriage / kiss
The so-termed Lesbian love is a vice of a still more hideous and degrading nature than pederasty.
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:[…] Madonna's infamous nationally televised lesbian kiss with Britney Spears […]
2011, Michael Bruce, Robert M. Stewart, College Sex - Philosophy for Everyone, →ISBN, page 32:
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(especially, of an institution or group) Intended for lesbians.
We're going to a lesbian bar tonight.
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.
2000, Bonnie Zimmerman, Encyclopedia of lesbian and gay histories and cultures, volume 1, page 135: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.
2008, Carl Abbott, How cities won the West: four centuries of urban change, page 283:
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(alt-of, archaic) Alternative letter-case form of Lesbian (“of or pertaining to the island of Lesbos”).
alt of Lesbian
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most lesbian | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more lesbian | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| le dollar bean | alternative | lexicographic | |
| le$bian | alternative | lexicographic | |
| les🫘 | alternative | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Synonyms
dyke (between women, pertaining to women's homosexuality) · gay (between women, pertaining to women's homosexuality) · gay · homosexual (between women, pertaining to women's homosexuality) · homosexual · dyke (of a woman: preferring women partners)
Translations (112)
sk lesbický (of a woman: preferring women partners) · is lesbíu- (intended for lesbians) · cmn 拉拉的 (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · ru лесби́йский (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · hu leszbikus (of a woman: preferring women partners) · mr लेस्बियन (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · nn lesbisk (intended for lesbians) · cs lesbický (of a woman: preferring women partners) · sh лезбејски (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · sw shoga (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · yi לעסביאַניש (of a woman: preferring women partners) · io lesbiana (of a woman: preferring women partners) · et lesbi (of a woman: preferring women partners) · el λεσβιακός (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · ja レズビアン (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · fi lesbo- (intended for lesbians) · nrf lesbien (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · cs lesbický (intended for lesbians) · pt lésbico (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · it lesbico (intended for lesbians) · da læbbe (of a woman: preferring women partners) · eo porlesba (intended for lesbians) · id lesbi (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · ca lesbiana (of a woman: preferring women partners) · de lesbisch (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · ka ლესბოსური (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · da lesbisk (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · tl lesbya (of a woman: preferring women partners) · sv lesbisk (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · cs lesbický (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · id lesbi (of a woman: preferring women partners) · es lesbio (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · nb lesbisk (of a woman: preferring women partners) · nrf lesbien (of a woman: preferring women partners) · nb lesbisk (intended for lesbians) · fr lesbien (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · cmn 女同的 (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · id lesbian (of a woman: preferring women partners) · bg обра́тна (of a woman: preferring women partners) · eo lesba (intended for lesbians) · fi lesbolainen (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · cmn 女同性戀的 /女同性恋的 (intended for lesbians) · nl lesbisch (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · ka დედათმავალი (of a woman: preferring women partners) · ru лесбия́нский (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · lb lesbesch (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · eo lesba (of a woman: preferring women partners) · cmn 女同的 (intended for lesbians) · sh lezbejski (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · ga leispiach (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · nn lesbisk (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · ar مِثْلِيّة (of a woman: preferring women partners) · nb lesbisk (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · fi lesbolainen (of a woman: preferring women partners) · sk lesbický (intended for lesbians) · tr lezbiyen (intended for lesbians) · is lesbískur (of a woman: preferring women partners) · de Lesben- (intended for lesbians) · fi lesbo (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · da lesbisk (of a woman: preferring women partners) · is lesbískur (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · af lesbies (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · ar مِثْلِيّات (of a woman: preferring women partners) · ja レズの (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · gd leasbach (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · cy lesbiaidd (of a woman: preferring women partners) · de lesbisch (of a woman: preferring women partners) · mk ле́збејски (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · id lesbian (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · it lesbica (of a woman: preferring women partners) · cmn 女同性戀的 /女同性恋的 (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · sv lesbisk (of a woman: preferring women partners) · vi đồng tính (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · pt lésbica (of a woman: preferring women partners) · ka დედათმავლური (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · pl lesbijska (of a woman: preferring women partners) · gd leasbach (intended for lesbians) · nn lesbisk (of a woman: preferring women partners) · ca lesbià (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · cmn 拉拉的 (intended for lesbians) · be лесбі́йскі (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · eo lesba (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · sk lesbický (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · nl lesbisch (of a woman: preferring women partners) · tr lezbiyen (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · es lesbiano (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · fi lesbo- (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · ka ლესბოსელი (of a woman: preferring women partners) · it lesbico (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · gl lesbiano (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · pl lesbijski (of a woman: preferring women partners) · es lésbico (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · es lesbiana (of a woman: preferring women partners) · tr lezbiyen (of a woman: preferring women partners) · yi לעסביאַניש (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · ar سِحَاقِيّ (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · bg лесбийски (of a woman: preferring women partners) · eo lesbanino (of a woman: preferring women partners) · bg лесби́йски (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · sl lezbični (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · ga leispiach (intended for lesbians) · ga leispiach (of a woman: preferring women partners) · ja レズビアンの (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · bn লেসবিয়ান (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · uk лесбі́йський (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · he לֶסְבִּית (of a woman: preferring women partners) · ko 레즈비언 (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · vi đồng tính (of a woman: preferring women partners) · mr लेस्बियन (of a woman: preferring women partners) · pl lesbijski (between two women; pertaining to women's homosexuality) · sv lesbisk (intended for lesbians) · ca lesbià (intended for lesbians)