sex
noun
\ ˈseks
\
\
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
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. 2019 Her body followed a rarer template of development, one that suspended her between sexes. — BostonGlobe.com, "Trump wants to deny transgender rights on religious grounds. But what if gender identity, itself, is a matter of the soul?," 5 July 2019 Beginning in 2017, a series of royal decrees loosened some restrictions — such as those on owning businesses and renting — and allowed for more mixing of the sexes in public spaces like movie theaters and sports arenas. — Megan Specia, New York Times, "Saudi Arabia Granted Women the Right to Drive. A Year on, It’s Still Complicated.," 24 June 2019 The sentimentalism was mitigated by regular doses of bawdy humor, the targets of which were no doubt the envy of quite a number of spectators of both sexes. — Los Angeles Times, "Review: Hugh Jackman sings, dances and charms, delivering a grand time at the Hollywood Bowl," 21 July 2019 Unequal pay Late payments for footballers of both sexes are a chronic problem on the continent, but pay disparities between male and female players are even more prevalent. — Aisha Salaudeen, CNN, "African female footballers face uphill battle to play a 'man's game'," 20 June 2019 Consequently, the tournament made the prize money the same for both sexes in 1973. — Erika Ryan, CNN, "Courage and sacrifice: 6 activists behind LGBTQ progress," 26 June 2019 Once again, singling out and demaning girls instead of focusing on the real issues of mutual respect for both sexes. — Janine Puhak, Fox News, "Texas high school principal apologizes after 'sexist' dress code video goes viral," 18 Aug. 2018 In a 1918 textbook co-authored with Roswell Johnson, Applied Eugenics, Popenoe defined feminism as a foolish effort to eliminate biological, political, and economic differentiation between the sexes. — Audrey Farley, Longreads, "We Still Don’t Know How to Navigate the Cultural Legacy of Eugenics," 20 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
The preppy East Coast label has collaborated with everyone from Sacai and Supreme to Vetements, but West’s 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 Yandy’s 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 “sexy” 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
\ ˈseks
\
\
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