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bisexual

[ bahy-sek-shoo-uhl ]

adjective

  1. noting or relating to a person who is sexually or romantically attracted to people of more than one gender, sometimes understood to include attraction to one's own sex or gender and at least one other sex or gender.
  2. Biology.
    1. of both biological sexes.
    2. combining male and female organs in one individual.


noun

  1. a person who is sexually or romantically attracted to people of more than one gender, sometimes understood to include attraction to one's own sex or gender and at least one other sex or gender.
  2. Biology. an animal or plant that has the reproductive organs of both biological sexes.

bisexual

/ baɪˈsɛksjʊəl; baɪˌsɛksjʊˈælɪtɪ /

adjective

  1. sexually attracted by both men and women
  2. showing characteristics of both sexes

    a bisexual personality

  3. (of some plants and animals) having both male and female reproductive organs
  4. of or relating to both sexes
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


noun

  1. a bisexual organism; a hermaphrodite
  2. a bisexual person
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Sensitive Note

As with many other labels used to describe people, the adjective form ( a bisexual author ) is preferred over the noun form. The noun, while sometimes acceptable in the plural (a flag designed for bisexuals ), is often less acceptable in the singular ( a bisexual I work with), especially when not used for self-reference.
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Confusables Note

Bisexual is sometimes interpreted to mean romantic, emotional, or sexual attraction to exactly two genders, often but not always men and women. However, since at least the 1990s, many bisexual people have been using definitions that acknowledge attraction to more than two genders, including people who do not fit into the gender binary. For some speakers, the bi- in bisexual refers to a gender or genders that are the same as or similar to their own, and a gender or genders that are different from their own. For others, the bi- in bisexual is simply an etymological quirk, like the octo- in October, which is no longer the eighth month. The debate over the definition of bi- also extends to related labels such as pansexual and omnisexual. Pansexual, for example, is sometimes defined as attraction regardless of gender, and omnisexual as attraction to any gender but not regardless of gender. However, bisexual, pansexual, and omnisexual can all be accurately used to describe a person who is attracted to men, women, and other genders, and some speakers use these words interchangeably. Many factors may be involved in a person's choice of which label to use for their sexuality.
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Derived Forms

  • bisexuality, noun
  • biˈsexually, adverb
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Other Words From

  • bi·sex·u·al·i·ty [bahy-sek-shoo-, al, -i-tee], bi·sex·u·al·ism noun
  • bi·sex·u·al·ly adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of bisexual1

First recorded in 1815–25; bi- 1 + sexual
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Example Sentences

“They will never change and neither their punishments for same-sex relationships … we have to go back to hiding,” says Yousuf, a 21-year old bisexual man from Mazar-i-Sharif in a text message to me on WhatsApp.

The one thing they did learn about Kate Brown, over and over again, is that she is a self-described bisexual.

She’s also enthusiastically bisexual, collecting love interests faster than her mom collects designer outfits.

From Time

She never talks about being bisexual, doesn’t discuss her coming out story — even if you ask her — and I defy anyone to find me a recent time in which she’s discussed being part of this community.

Nonbinary people also can identify as bisexual if they are attracted to male, female or nonbinary people as well.

The new Secret Six continues that tradition establishing Catman as bisexual.

Why is it important to have a bisexual character in a comic book?

It is true that gay and bisexual men are far more likely to transmit HIV than other population groups.

Bisexual people, too, tend to be particularly closeted both at home and in the office.

I liked the idea of being bisexual and then met a girl who had a bit of lesbian experience and got together within a few months.

Each worm is bisexual or hermaphrodite, on which account they multiply with great rapidity.

The whole pantheism of the Vedanta is contained in the symbol of the bisexual deity Ardhanari.

Alismace—Aquatic plants with radical net-veined leaves, and (generally) conspicuous, white, bisexual flowers.

Polygonace—Herbs with sheathing stipules, alternate leaves, and small (generally) bisexual flowers.

Chenopodiace—Herbs with jointed stems and small unisexual or bisexual flowers.

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