heterosexual

[ het-er-uh-sek-shoo-uhlor, especially British, -seks-yoo- ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or exhibiting heterosexuality, sexual desire or behavior directed toward people of the other binary gender.
2. Biology. of or relating to different sexes:

   heterosexual fraternal twins.

noun

1. a person who is sexually or romantically attracted primarily to people of the other binary gender.

heterosexual

/ ˌhɛtərəʊˈsɛksjʊəl /

noun

1. a person who is sexually attracted to the opposite sex

adjective

1. of or relating to heterosexuality

Word History and Origins

Origin of heterosexual¹

First recorded in 1890–95; hetero- + sexual

Example Sentences

A gay working-class Black man experiences — and performs — his masculinity in very different ways than a rich heterosexual white man.

From Salon

Though there are exceptions, in a heterosexual marriage the abuser is nearly always a man.

From Salon

Just Like Us found in its survey that gay male youths were six times more likely to have an eating disorder compared to heterosexual boys.

From BBC

The eating disorder charity Beat suggests that people can perceive eating orders as only affecting young middle class heterosexual white girls which can make some people with eating disorders feel invisible, like Sharan, who is of Asian heritage.

From BBC

First, 100 percent of those surveyed who took paid leave were glad they did, and 90 percent of those heterosexual men who took leave reported an improvement in their relationship with their partner.

From Salon