English

Noun

Lesbian ‎(plural Lesbians)

1. A native or inhabitant of Lesbos.
2. (linguistics) The variety of Aeolic Greek spoken on Lesbos from about 800 to 300 b.c., best known from the writings of Sappho and Alcaeus of Mytilene.
3. Alternative letter-case form of lesbian: a homosexual woman.

Usage notes

• Some residents of Lesbos (Lesvos) prefer to be called Lesviots.

Synonyms

(inhabitant of Lesbos (Lesvos)): Lesviot

Translations

Adjective

Lesbian ‎(comparative more Lesbian, superlative most Lesbian)

1. Of or pertaining to the island of Lesbos.
2. (linguistics) Of or pertaining to the Lesbian variety of Aeolic Greek.
3. Alternative letter-case form of lesbian: (of women) homosexual.
   • 1901, [1985] Mary MacLane in A Day at a Time, Margo Culley ed.

     Except two breeds—the stupid and the narrowly feline—all women have a touch of the Lesbian: an assertion all good non-analytic creatures refute with horror, but quite true: there is always the poignant intensive personal taste, the flair of inner-sex, in the tenderest friendships of women.

   • 1984, Audre Lorde, Sister Outsider

     One woman wrote, “Because you are Black and Lesbian, you seem to speak with the moral authority of suffering.” Yes, I am Black and Lesbian, and what you hear in my voice is fury, not suffering.

   • 1989, Florence King, Reflections in a Jaundiced Eye

     Suddenly open enrollment struck the Sapphic elite and dykes-for-the-masses were everywhere. We got the Lesbian detective, the Lesbian ghost, the Lesbian vampire, the possessed Lesbian, the Lesbian next door, the Lesbian with a heart of gold, the kept Lesbian, the other Lesbian, the Lesbian amnesiac, the Lesbian with cancer, and just plain Butch.

4. (archaic) amatory; erotic

   Lesbian novels

Usage notes

The sense "homosexual" is now usually not capitalized; see lesbian. Compare gay, which is sometimes capitalized Gay though there is no reason for it to be according to the English language's usual rules for capitalization.

Translations

Anagrams

• ansible
• bilanes

English

Adjective

lesbian ‎(comparative more lesbian, superlative most lesbian)

1. (of a woman) Homosexual; preferring female romantic or sexual partners.

   She is lesbian.

2. (of a romantic or sexual act or relationship) Between two women; homosexual.

   a lesbian relationship / marriage / kiss

   • 2011, Michael Bruce, ‎Robert M. Stewart, College Sex - Philosophy for Everyone (ISBN 1444341448), page 32:

     […] Madonna's infamous nationally televised lesbian kiss with Britney Spears […]

3. (especially of an institution or group) Intended for lesbians.

   We're going to a lesbian bar tonight.

   • 2000, Bonnie Zimmerman, Encyclopedia of lesbian and gay histories and cultures, volume 1, page 135:

     Some lesbians also felt comfortable in the entertainment clubs in the black section of the city; these clubs were not lesbian but were lesbian friendly.

   • 2008, Carl Abbott, How cities won the West: four centuries of urban change, page 283:

     Openly gay poets such as Allen Ginsberg were prominent among the beats, and many North Beach bars were gay and lesbian as well as bohemian.

Synonyms

• (of a woman: preferring female partners): dyke (usually offensive, but reclaimed by some lesbians), gay (preferred by some lesbians), homosexual (not specific to female homosexuality)
• (between two women; pertaining to female homosexuality): dyke (usually offensive, but reclaimed by some lesbians), gay (preferred by some lesbians), homosexual (not specific to female homosexuality)

Translations

Noun

lesbian ‎(plural lesbians)

1. A homosexual female, a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted to other women.

Synonyms

• sapphist, gayelle
• (offensive) Amy-John, beaver eater, beanflicker, boondagger, bulldiker, bulldyker, carpet muncher, clam smacker, crack snacker, ****-lapper, donut bumper, dyke, lesbianist, lezzer, lezzie, lezzo, rug muncher, scissor sister, todger dodger, vagitarian, clitorist
• See also Wikisaurus:female homosexual

Hypernyms

• LGBT
• gay
• homosexual
• queer

Hyponyms

• korephile

Derived terms

See also

• (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)}

Translations

Anagrams

• ansible
• bilanes

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowing from French lesbien.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /les.biˈan/

Adjective

lesbian m, n ‎(feminine singular lesbiană, masculine plural lesbieni, feminine and neuter plural lesbiene)

1. lesbian

Declension

See also

• lesbiană