heterosexual
adjective
het·ero·sex·u·al
| \ ˌhe-tə-rō-ˈsek-sh(ə-)wəl
, -ˈsek-shəl\
, -ˈsek-shəl\
Definition of heterosexual
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: of, relating to, or characterized by a tendency to direct sexual desire toward the opposite sex
b
: of, relating to, or involving sexual intercourse between individuals of opposite sex
2
: of or relating to different sexes
heterosexual
nounDefinition of heterosexual (Entry 2 of 2)
: a heterosexual person
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Other Words from heterosexual
Adjective
heterosexuality
\ ˌhe-tə-rō-ˌsek-shə-ˈwa-lə-tē
\
noun
\
noun
heterosexually
\ ˌhe-tə-rō-ˈsek-sh(ə-)wə-lē
, -ˈsek-shə-lē \
adverb
, -ˈsek-shə-lē \
adverb
Examples of heterosexual in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Consciously or not, those men and women who are concerned about being perceived as heterosexual may not choose certain behaviors out of this fear. — NBC News, "Does this reusable bag make me look gay? Perhaps, study finds," 2 Sep. 2019 Gender equality at home among heterosexual couples has progressed even more slowly than in public life. — Laurie Derose, The Conversation, "Gender equality at home takes a hit when children arrive," 8 Aug. 2019 But the message was clear: youthful, healthy, rich, heterosexual, unapologetically white. — Brock Keeling, Curbed, "The rise and fall of Laguna Beach, a gay California hotspot," 26 June 2019 Heteropatriarchy — a system of society in which men and heterosexuals (especially heterosexual men) are privileged, dominant and hold power. — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, "Cisheteropatriarchy. Hxrstory. The language of ethnic studies, explained," 13 Aug. 2019 The September 2018 lawsuit claimed restaurant employees also harassed the gay server’s heterosexual friend, a busser, based on their friendship. — Washington Post, "Pipe spills wastewater into Broad Creek," 11 Aug. 2019 Still, the French government has repeatedly considered creating legal measures to open up fertility treatments to women outside heterosexual marriages. — Brianna Holt, Quartz, "A new French law could offer IVF for unmarried women and lesbians," 8 Aug. 2019 According to the Campaign Against Homophobia, 12 percent of people who don’t identify as heterosexual are victims of physical violence in Poland, while around ninety percent of incidents go unreported, according to the 2016 survey. — Madeline Roache, Time, "Poland Is Holding Massive Pride Parades. But How Far Have LGBTQ Rights Really Come?," 3 July 2019 Some have been gay people that have lost their jobs or had employment offers rescinded and others have been heterosexual allies that have faced similar consequences for their support or advocacy. — Arika Herron, Indianapolis Star, "Unanswered questions about Cathedral, Brebeuf Jesuit and the Indianapolis Archdiocese," 20 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
In some cases, proceeds are going to organizations helping LGBTQ youths and others fighting for the rights of non-heterosexuals. — Washington Post, "A retail rainbow: Vendors mark LGBTQ Pride on sales racks," 23 June 2019 White, male heterosexuals experience disappointment also. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Your Say: Racism in America," 26 July 2019 The court ruled that the police had been right to do so, and that the right to privacy was reserved for heterosexuals. — Masha Gessen, The New Yorker, "Coming Out, and Rising Up, in the Fifty Years After Stonewall," 28 June 2019 The story takes places in an alternate reality where heterosexuals are an oppressed minority and follows a girl bullied for being straight, culminating with her suicide. — Alex Horton, Washington Post, "It started as trolling, but a ‘straight pride parade’ may actually be coming to Boston," 28 June 2019 At the time, shows like Donahue and Oprah showed the vitriol that many heterosexuals aimed at gay people. — S. D. Chrismon, The Root, "‘It Gets Better’: The Lie We Tell LGBTQ Youths," 15 June 2018 The eight new infections, all diagnosed since February, involve individuals described to be heterosexuals, drug users and recently homeless, The Seattle Times reported. — Alexandria Hein, Fox News, "Cluster of HIV cases in North Seattle prompt concern of potential outbreak," 31 Aug. 2018 Yet other configurations are certainly possible, given that heterosexuals aren’t the only ones doing the seducing, as well as the heightened gatekeeping demanded of us all these days. — Laura Kipnis, The Cut, "Should There Be a Future for Seduction?," 10 June 2018 Research suggests that some people in the LGBT community are more likely to have certain chronic conditions and face higher prevalence and earlier onset of disabilities compared to heterosexuals, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. — Guy Boulton, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Froedtert Health and Medical College of Wisconsin to open clinic that focuses on LGBTQ community," 8 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'heterosexual.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for heterosexual
heterosexual
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of heterosexual
: sexually attracted to people of the opposite sex
: based on sexual attraction to people of the opposite sex
See the full definition for heterosexual in the English Language Learners Dictionary
heterosexual
adjective
het·ero·sex·u·al
| \ ˌhet-ə-rō-ˈseksh-(ə-)wəl, -ˈsek-shəl
\
\
Medical Definition of heterosexual
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: of, relating to, or characterized by a tendency to direct sexual desire toward individuals of the opposite sex — compare homosexual entry 1 sense 1
b
: of, relating to, or involving sexual intercourse between a male and a female
sexual relationships between individuals of opposite sexes are heterosexual— A. C. Kinsey
— compare homosexual entry 1 sense 2
2
: of or relating to different sexes
Other Words from heterosexual
heterosexually
\ -ˈseksh-(ə-)wə-lē, -ˈsek-shə-lē
\
adverb
\
adverb
heterosexual
nounMedical Definition of heterosexual (Entry 2 of 2)
: a heterosexual individual