LESBIAN

lesbian, sapphic

(adjective) of or relating to or characterized by homosexual relations between woman

Lesbian

(noun) a resident of Lesbos

lesbian, tribade, gay woman

(noun) a female homosexual

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Adjective

lesbian (comparative more lesbian, superlative most lesbian)

(of a woman) Homosexual, gay; preferring mostly or exclusively women as romantic or sexual partners.

(of a romantic or sexual act or relationship) Between two or more women; homosexual, gay.

(especially of an institution or group) Intended for lesbians.

Synonyms

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

• (between women; pertaining to women's homosexuality): dyke (usually offensive, but reclaimed by some lesbians), gay (preferred by some lesbians), homosexual (not specific to women)

Noun

lesbian (plural lesbians)

A homosexual woman, one who is mostly or exclusively sexually or romantically attracted to other women.

(uncommon) A homosexual female animal.

Synonyms

• sapphist, gayelle

• (offensive) Amy-John, beaver eater, beanflicker, boondagger, bulldiker, bulldyker, carpet muncher, clam smacker, crack snacker, cunt-lapper, donut bumper, dyke, lesbianist, lezzer, lezzie, lezzo, rug muncher, scissor sister, todger dodger, vagitarian, clitorist

• See also female homosexual

Hypernyms

• LGBT

• gay

• homosexual

• queer

Hyponyms

• korephile

Anagrams

• Nieblas, ansible, balines, bilanes

Etymology

Noun

Lesbian (plural Lesbians)

A native or inhabitant of Lesbos.

Synonym: Lesviot

(linguistics) The variety of Aeolic Greek spoken on Lesbos from about 800 to 300 b.c., best known from the writings of Sappho and Alcaeus of Mytilene.

Alternative letter-case form of lesbian: a homosexual woman.

Adjective

Lesbian (comparative more Lesbian, superlative most Lesbian)

Of or pertaining to the island of Lesbos.

(linguistics) Of or pertaining to the Lesbian variety of Aeolic Greek.

Alternative letter-case form of lesbian: (of women) homosexual.

(archaic) Amatory; erotic.

Usage notes

The sense "homosexual" is now usually not capitalized; see lesbian. Compare gay, which is sometimes capitalized Gay though there is no reason for it to be according to the English language's usual rules for capitalization.