# 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: /ˌhɒməʊˈsɛksjuːəl/, /ˌhɒməʊˈsɛkʃuːəl/
** IPA: /ˌhəʊməʊˈsɛksjuːəl/, /ˌhəʊməʊˈsɛkʃuːəl/
** Audio (UK):(file)
* (US):
** enPR: hō'mə-sĕkʹsho͞o-əl, hō'mō-sĕkʹsho͞o-əl, IPA: /ˌhoʊməˈsɛkʃuːəl/, /ˌhoʊmoʊˈsɛkʃuːəl/
** Audio (US):(file)

### 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.)
    No, it wouldn't make a difference if the applicant was homosexual.
** 1892 [1889], Charles Gilbert Chaddock, transl., Psychopathia Sexualis‎, 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    Most western countries have repealed laws against homosexual activity between consenting adults.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, Bill Maher, William Shatner, 56:37 from the start, in William Shatner, Club Random With Bill Maher‎, episode 1, Club Random Podcast, archived from the original on 05 April 2022: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.
** 1983 December 24, “Effort To Close Gay Businesses Underway”, in Gay Community News, volume 11, number 23, page 2:A petition drive to close all homosexual establishments in response to an assumed general AIDS contagion was begun in late October, according to The Weekly News of Miami.

#### 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): sexual orientation adjectiveseditandrosexualasexual, acebisexual, bidemisexual, demigraysexualgynesexualheterosexual, straight, heterohomosexualgaylesbianomnisexualpansexual, panpolysexualsapiosexual
* (of humans): homoromantic

#### Derived terms

* antihomosexual
* fauxmosexual
* globohomo
* Homintern
* homo
* homocapitalism
* Homocaust
* homocon
* Homocrat
* homocrat
* homosexless
* homosexualisation
* homosexualise
* homosexualism
* homosexualist
* homosexuality
* homosexualization
* homosexualize
* homosexually
* homosexual marriage
* homosexualness
* homosexual panic defense
* homosexual transsexual
* nonhomosexual
* pseudohomosexual
* queerosexual
* sinthomosexual

#### Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § 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.
** 1936, Melville J. Herskovits, Frances S. Herskovits, Suriname folk-lore‎, New York: Columbia University Press, page 32:It must not be understood that homosexuality is confined to women. Relationships of this type exist also among men, and in taki-taki are to be found words which are specific designations for male homosexuals, who are termed hantimąn, or awɛge.
** 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.

#### 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.

##### 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

* lesbian
* sapphist

##### of either sex

* bugger
* fruit (especially US)
* homo
* moffie (South African slang)

##### only of men

* fag (US slang)
* faggot (especially US)
* pole-smoker
* fairy
* flamer (especially US)
* nance, nancy, nancy boy
* pansy
* poofter
* queen
* pederast (chiefly if the partner is adolescent)
* sodomite
* swish
* light in the loafers

##### only of women

* lesbo
* dyke
* muff-diver
* carpet muncher
* scissor sister

#### Derived terms

* homo

#### Translations
### References

* ↑ GLAAD media reference guide, citing the AP and NYT style guides.
* ↑ NYT article

## Basque
### Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish homosexual.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /omos̺eks̺ual/ [o.mo.s̺ek.s̺u.al], /omos̺eks̺wal/ [o.mo.s̺eks̺.wal]
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -ual, -al, -eks̺wal, -al

### Adjective

homosexual (not comparable)
* homosexual

#### Related terms

* homosexualitate (“homosexuality”)

### Further reading

* “homosexual”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy] (in Basque), Euskaltzaindia [Royal Academy of the Basque Language]

## Catalan
### Pronunciation

* IPA: (Central) [ˌɔ.mu.sək.suˈal]
* IPA: (Balearic) [ˌɔ.mo.sək.suˈal]
* IPA: (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
    O comportamento homosexual obsérvase con frecuencia entre os mamíferos.Homosexual behaviour is frequently observed among mammals.

### 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.
** 1869, Anonymous [Karl Maria Kertbeny], Paragraph 143 des preußischen Strafgesetzbuches vom 14. April 1851 […] , page 36:Denn das Wort „Entartung“ bezog sich ohne Zweifel auf jene Individuen, welche von solchen homosexualen Leidenschaften befallen sind, und activ sich Personen zu deren Befriedigung suchen […](please add an English translation of this quotation)
** 1889, Richard von Krafft-Ebing, “Psychische Hermaphrodisie”, in Psychopathia Sexualis, page 99:Bei eingehenderer Exploration erklärt sich Pat. für wesentlich doch homosexual, Empfindung und Trieb zum anderen Geschlecht nur für etwas Episodisches, Grobsinnliches. So leide sie zwar gegenwärtig schrecklich unter sexuellen Drängen zu jenem Manne ihrer Umgebung, aber ein edlerer und höherer Genuss sei es ihr, auf eine sanftgerundete, weiche Mädchenwange einen Kuss zu hauchen.(please add an English translation of this quotation)
** 1928, Kurt Tucholsky, Sprechstunde am Kreuz‎:»Wie er aber dann das Resultat seines jünglinghaften Empfindens und Denkens, die Frucht jahrelanger Isoliertheit und melancholischer Anwandlungen, die Stimmung einer ganz reinen, von sinnlichen Regungen freien, fast homosexual gearteten, dabei glücklich und heiter veranlagten Seele in seinen lehrhaften Gesängen und Preisungen einer menschenumfassenden, selbstlosen Nächstenliebe aushauchte und ausströmte, […] «(please add an English translation of this quotation)

#### Coordinate terms

* heterosexual

#### Related terms

* Homosexualer

## Romanian
### Etymology

Borrowed from French homosexuel. By surface analysis, homo- +‎ sexual.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˌho.mo.sek.suˈal/
* Rhymes: -al
* Hyphenation: ho‧mo‧se‧xu‧al

### Adjective

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 păsăriIn the animal world, homosexual behaviour is observed relatively frequent in mammals and birds.

#### Declension
### Noun

homosexual m (plural homosexuali, feminine equivalent homosexuală)
* homosexual
    Synonyms: gay, pederast

#### Derived terms

* homosexualitate f

#### Related terms

* bulangiu
* gay
* lesbian
* lesbiană
* poponar

### References

* homosexual in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)

## Spanish
### Etymology

From homo- +‎ sexual.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /omoseɡˈswal/ [o.mo.seɣ̞ˈswal]
* Audio (Colombia):(file)
* Rhymes: -al
* Syllabification: ho‧mo‧se‧xual

### Adjective

homosexual m or f (masculine and feminine plural homosexuales)
* homosexual
    El comportamiento homosexual se observa con frecuencia entre los mamíferos.Homosexual behaviour is frequently observed among mammals.

#### Derived terms

* homosexualismo
* homosexualmente

### Noun

homosexual m or f by sense (plural homosexuales)
* homosexual
    Antonym: heterosexual

#### Related terms

* homofobia
* homosexualidad
* lésbico
* maricón (pejorative)

### Further reading

* “homosexual”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10