coming out

or com·ing-out

[ kuhm-ing-out ]

noun

1. a debut into society, especially a formal debut by a debutante.
2. one's acknowledgment and public disclosure of a sexual orientation or gender identity that does not conform to socially defined norms:

   How did your parents respond to your coming out?

3. an acknowledgment of a surprising interest or hobby, or an unexpected identification as part of a fandom, a supporter of a particular political party, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of coming out¹

First recorded in 1805–15; noun use of verb phrase come out; -ing ¹

Example Sentences

That may not seem amazing, but one of the scientists involved points out that for animals, a hose – a flexible tube with running water coming out of the end – is “very complex”.

From NewsForKids.net

The 23-year-old went over her handlebars coming out of a roundabout in a mass crash on the fifth stage of the race in August.

From BBC

Teal debuted on Season 7 of the teen drama in 2010, playing the closeted actor in a seven-episode arc that ended with him coming out to as gay.

From Los Angeles Times

Again, my father adores Scotland, and you have a First Minister coming out and just being fairly nasty in the days leading up.

From BBC

In the room where the fire started, he said that there were two cut cables coming out of the wall, where a socket would have been, and that electrical items had gone.

From BBC