Lesbian

/ˈlezbiən/

nounBeginner📊CommonGeneral
2 meanings1 idiom/phrase3 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

A woman primarily attracted to other women.

/ˈlezbiən/

nounneutralBeginner
General

A woman who is romantically attracted to other women.

My friend is a lesbian and she is very happy in her relationship.

💡 Simply: Imagine a woman who falls in love with other women. That's a lesbian. It's like saying a guy is into girls, but for ladies!

👶 For kids: A lesbian is a girl or woman who likes other girls or women, not boys or men.

More Examples

2

The film explored the lives of a group of lesbians in a rural town.

3

She is a lesbian and active in the LGBTQ+ community.

How It's Used

General Usage

"She identified as a lesbian and was proud of her identity."

Social Context

"The lesbian community organized a pride parade to celebrate diversity."

2

Relating to or characteristic of lesbians or lesbianism.

/ˈlezbiən/

adjectiveneutralBeginner
General

Relating to or characteristic of lesbians.

The film depicted lesbian couples and their struggles.

💡 Simply: If something is 'lesbian,' it means it has to do with women loving women. Like a lesbian bar is a bar that's primarily for women who like women.

👶 For kids: Something that is lesbian is about girls or women liking girls or women.

More Examples

2

The community is actively supportive of lesbian rights.

3

She's studying lesbian history and literature for her degree.

How It's Used

Social Studies

"The documentary explored lesbian relationships and their place in history."

Literature

"The novel featured lesbian characters and themes of female empowerment."

Tip:Think of anything associated with or typical of lesbians.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Idioms & expressions

lesbian chic

A trend in fashion, media, or art that incorporates aspects of lesbian culture and aesthetics, often appropriated by non-lesbians.

"The article discussed the rise and fall of lesbian chic in the 1990s."

From Greek *Lesbios*, referring to the island of Lesbos, the birthplace of the poet Sappho, known for her poems expressing love and attraction between women. The term gained currency in the late 19th century, initially within medical and scientific contexts, and subsequently as a self-identified term and broader descriptor.

Historically used in medical and scientific literature to describe sexual orientation, it later became a self-identifying term.

Memory tip

Think of Sappho, the poet from Lesbos, who wrote about love between women.

Word Origin

LanguageGreek
Original meaning

"From Lesbos, an island in Greece associated with the poet Sappho."

Base: lesbian
lesbian couplelesbian relationshiplesbian communitylesbian identitylesbian rights

Common misspellings

lezbianlezbean

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written