a person who is sexually, romantically, or emotionally attracted to members of the same sex
of or relating to homosexuals or homosexuality of or relating to the same sex
Compare heterosexual
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
ho•mo•sex•u•al /ˌhoʊməˈsɛkʃuəl/USA pronunciation
adj.
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- Medicineattracted sexually to members of one's own sex.
- Medicineof or relating to homosexuality.
n. [countable]
- Medicinea homosexual person.
ho•mo•sex•u•al
(hō′mə sek′sho̅o̅ əl or, esp. Brit., -seks′yo̅o̅-),USA pronunciation adj.
n.
- Medicineof, pertaining to, or exhibiting homosexuality.
- Medicineof, pertaining to, or noting the same sex.
n.
- Medicinea homosexual person.
- homo- + sexual 1890–95
- See gay.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Compare heterosexual
'homosexual' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Lesbian
- Mary
- Nellie
- Polari
- Uranian
- antigay
- aunt
- bent
- camp
- chicken
- closet queen
- come
- domestic partner
- dyke
- fag hag
- faggot
- faggy
- fairy
- flit
- friend of Dorothy
- fruit
- fruity
- gay
- gaydar
- heterosexual
- homo
- homo-
- homophile
- homophobia
- invert
- lesbian
- lesbianism
- limp wrist
- marriage
- minty
- nance
- out
- outing
- pansy
- pederasty
- poof
- poofter
- puff
- punk
- queen
- queer
- rough trade
- shirt-lifter
- sod
- swish