sex
noun
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Definition of sex
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: either of the two major forms of individuals that occur in many species and that are distinguished respectively as female or male especially on the basis of their reproductive organs and structures
In the past, couples could hold fast to their dreams about their baby's sex until the moment of truth in the delivery room.— Jacquelyn Mitchard
b
: the sum of the structural, functional, and sometimes behavioral characteristics of organisms that distinguish males and females
Doctors can alter the physical characteristics of sex, but bodily sex does not determine gender.— Dinitia Smith
c
: the state of being male or female
⊠Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on sex.— Tamar Lewin
d
: males or females considered as a group
He gave the minister a sly look, daring him to disparage the female sex.— Evelyn Anthony
2a
: sexually motivated phenomena or behavior
3
: genitalia
sex
verb
sexed;
sexing;
sexes
Definition of sex (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to identify the sex of
sex newborn chicks
2a
: to increase the sexual appeal of
—often used with up
b
: to arouse the sexual desires of
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Synonyms for sex
Synonyms: Noun
coition, coitus, commerce, congress, copulating, copulation, coupling, intercourse, lovemaking, mating, relations, sex act, sexual intercourse, sexual relations
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Examples of sex in a Sentence
Noun
The form asks for your name, age, and sex. The couple didn't know what the sex of their baby would be. How do you tell the sex of a hamster? discrimination on the basis of sex Some feel men are the more aggressive sex. All he ever thinks about is sex. Her mom talked to her about sex. She doesn't like all the sex and violence in movies. He had sex with his girlfriend.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Crowds split evenly between the sexes: 52% male, 48% female. — Washington Post, "Ending a drought for R-rated comedies, âGood Boysâ is No. 1," 18 Aug. 2019 Other Muslim countries, however, do not have similar restrictions on women's travel and many Islamic scholars argue this misinterprets fundamental Quranic concepts like equality and respect between the sexes. — NBC News, "Saudi Arabia law change allows women to travel without male consent," 2 Aug. 2019 Both sexes are shiny and beautifully marked, but only males have the two horns. — Ellen Nibali, baltimoresun.com, "Garden Q&A: Donât worry about this giant beetle and coping with blossom end rot in tomatoes," 1 Aug. 2019 So why not simply launch a crew of small humans, sexes be damned? — National Geographic, "Hereâs why women may be the best suited for spaceflight," 17 June 2019 Moreover, the distributions for the two sexes overlap, and the average ratios vary widely depending on subjects' geographical origins and ethnic backgrounds. — Mitch Leslie, Science | AAAS, "Talk to the hand. Scientists try to debunk idea that finger length can reveal personality and health," 6 June 2019 But the recent entrance of women, and their rapid rise to stardom, has become a space where Russian women can commiserate, vent and tackle the battle of the sexes. — Washington Post, "Russian women find a punchline in the age of #MeToo," 11 Aug. 2019 But harsh restrictions on women remain, including a ban on the mixing of sexes at public events and a requirement that women get a male guardian's permission to get married or divorced. — Doug Criss, CNN, "5 things to know for August 2: Politics, SEALs, Saudi Arabia, Cyntoia Brown, climate," 2 Aug. 2019 Admittedly, women were 1.8 times more likely to color their hair, but the differences between the sexes was otherwise negligible. — Lila Maclellan, Quartz at Work, "A new study measured how men and women experience ageism at work," 7 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
The preppy East Coast label has collaborated with everyone from Sacai and Supreme to Vetements, but Westâs topper was a fresh foil for her typically sexed-up take on sportswear. — Edward Barsamian, Vogue, "Kim Kardashian West Has a New Favorite Outerwear Brand," 13 Dec. 2018 Yandyâs ark of offerings is evidence that pretty much any animal can be sexed up, although not all animals are equally alluring. — Rachel Sugar, Vox, "Why are âsexyâ cats a thing?," 26 Oct. 2018 The most sexed-up take on the look saw one guy swaggering down the runway like a cheeky gunslinger. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, "Are You Ready for the Return of Tighty-Whities? Gucci Sure Is," 25 Sep. 2018 Wills is officially headed to paradise, or, at least, sexed-up Bachelor Nation spin-off series Bachelor In Paradise, as People announced. — refinery29.com, "Can We Start The Wills Reid For Bachelor Campaign Right Now?," 10 July 2018 The classic look would often get sexed up with spit curls that lay slicked to the forehead, at the nape of the neck, or in front of the ear, thanks to the influence of Josephine Baker. — Rebecca Norris, Allure, "Watch 100 Years of Iconic Short-Hair Trends in Under Four Minutes," 22 May 2018 Each walleye harvested by the tribes is measured and sexed. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: Researchers document walleye decline in Wisconsin waters," 9 May 2018 What ensues is a modern-day, faintly unpleasant, sexed-up comedy of errors on both sides. — Jocelyn Mcclurg, USA TODAY, "Curtis Sittenfeld has her finger on America's pulse in 10 witty, zippy short stories," 30 Apr. 2018 His aura was a regal, ethereal, sexed-up shade of purple, and his style had to match all of that pomp. — Brooke Bobb, Vogue, "Meet the Man Who Made 3,000 Pairs of High Heels for Prince," 19 Apr. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sex.' 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 sex
sex
noun
English Language Learners Definition of sex
: the state of being male or female
: men or male animals as a group or women or female animals as a group
: physical activity in which people touch each other's bodies, kiss each other, etc. : physical activity that is related to and often includes sexual intercourse
See the full definition for sex in the English Language Learners Dictionary
sex
noun
\ Ëseks
\
\
Kids Definition of sex
1
: either of two divisions into which many living things can be divided according to their roles in reproduction and which consist of males or females