English

Adjective

demisexual ‎(comparative more demisexual, superlative most demisexual)

1. (of humans) Sexually attracted to people only after a strong emotional bond has been formed.
   • 2010, Sophie Gamwell, "Asexuality", BoLT, Issue 1, April 2010, page 14:

     Some people may identify as asexual for a period and then decide that they are in fact demisexual, or even sexual.

   • 2013, Tracey Hickey, "Asexuality should be recognized as a legitimate sexual orientation", The Pitt News (University of Pittsburgh), 14 February 2013:

     Some think of themselves as demisexual, only able to feel attraction when a very strong emotional bond already exists.

   • 2013, C. J. Bishop, "A mystery wrapped in an enigma – asexuality: a virtual discussion", Psychology & Sexuality, Volume 4, Issue 2, March 2013, page 205 (quoting A. C. Hinderliter):

     In asexual / ace communities in the past few years, there has been an enormous increase in prominence of people identifying as gray-A and as demisexual, with ‘ace’ now sometimes being used as an umbrella term.

   • For more examples of usage of this term, see Citations:demisexual.

Synonyms

• demi (colloquial)

Coordinate terms

• (sexual orientations) sexual orientation; asexual (-ity, ace), bisexual (-ity, bi), demisexual (-ity), graysexual (-ity), heterosexual (-ity, straight), homosexual (-ity, gay, lesbian), omnisexual (-ity), pansexual (-ity, pan), polysexual (-ity), robosexual (-ity), sapiosexual (-ity) ^{(Category: en:Sexual orientations)}

Noun

demisexual ‎(plural demisexuals)

1. A person who is demisexual.
   • 2011, Mark Carrigan, "There’s more to life than sex? Difference and commonality within the asexual community", Sexualities, Volume 14, Number 4, August 2011, page 470:

     Demisexuals experience sexual attraction as a consequence of romantic attraction but not independently of it.

   • 2011, Holly Combs, "Labeling sexuality is not simple", The Maroon (Loyola University New Orleans), Volume 90, Number 10, 11 November 2011, page 6:

     Demisexuals experience sexual desire only toward people with whom they already have a strong emotional bond. Like an asexual, a demisexual would not see an attractive woman and immediately desire sex, unless, of course, that attractive woman happened to be in a serious emotional relationship with the demisexual.

   • 2013, Whitney Cyr, "Students ‘come out’ and inspire with stories", The Equinox (Keene State College), 24 April 2013:

     Rines identified himself as a demisexual, meaning that he is only sexually attracted to a person once a strong emotional attachment has been formed.

   • For more examples of usage of this term, see Citations:demisexual.

Synonyms

• demi (colloquial)