lesbian

1 of 2

adjective

les·​bi·​an ˈlez-bē-ən How to pronounce lesbian (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to other women or between women
gay and lesbian veterans
a lesbian relationship
2
Lesbian : of or relating to Lesbos

lesbian

2 of 2

noun

plural lesbians
: a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted to other women : a gay woman
lesbians and gay men

Examples of lesbian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The character has also come under fire for reasons that lie outside of popular culture, as frustration has increased over the minimization of the role of women, both straight and lesbian, in the struggles and movements that have defined the past 60 years of gay history. Mark Harris Rf. Alvarez, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024 The shift has been from worrying about the technique, in itself, to worrying about who’s using it: gay couples using it, lesbian couples using it, single people using it with egg or sperm donation. Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Foster plays out lesbian Bonnie Stoll, the real-life friend and coach of the title character, long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad. Brooke Sopelsa, NBC News, 23 Jan. 2024 She’s done portraits of her leather lesbian friends in San Francisco, which remind me of Thomas Eakins’s portraits in their candor, but also groups of photographs on ice houses on lakes, California surfers, high-school football players, and interiors of Elizabeth Taylor’s last ... Brian T. Allen, National Review, 2 Mar. 2024 The uninhibited Jamie urges the orderly Marian to stop fretting about their delivery deadline and make a fun road trip of their journey, with detours to lesbian bars along the way and a stopover at a house party of female college athletes. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2024 Pat has even been able, unbeknownst to Angie, to help out two other members of their small local lesbian community with a starter loan for their now-thriving florist shop. Jessica Kiang, Variety, 25 Feb. 2024 Starring Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan as a pair of lesbian friends trekking cross-country while toting sensitive materials in their drive-away vehicle, the new movie (in theaters now) comes from the minds of co-writers Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, the director’s wife of 33 years. Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 24 Feb. 2024 Coen lesbian buddy comedy has nudity, violence, swearing. Common Sense Media, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024
Noun
Nyad, who is an out lesbian, has written four books, including a 2016 memoir titled Find a Way that detailed her reasoning for unretiring to have a fifth try at the odyssey. Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024 In the offbeat comedy, lesbians Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) and Jamie (Margaret Qualley) embark on a road trip down South. Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2024 In the original film, Janis (played by Lizzy Caplan) was rumored to be a lesbian and was the target of a homophobic slur, though her sexuality was never clarified. Daysia Tolentino, NBC News, 11 Jan. 2024 As if that wasn’t inclusive enough, Rachel’s sister was a pregnant lesbian, married to another lesbian, who had one child already. Haley Strack, National Review, 25 Dec. 2023 The movie looks to be a throwback road-trip-crime-comedy about two lesbians and best friends (Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan) who accidentally rent a car intended for some criminals, eventually discovering a mysterious case in the trunk. Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 9 Jan. 2024 Gentrification has transformed this former backwater into a favorite artsy getaway for wealthy folks from the mainland—particularly lesbians—fostering more than a little resentment among the original townsfolk. Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 29 Dec. 2023 Yet that wasn’t always so; for far too long, lesbians (and other members of the LGBTQ+ community) saw their identities and relationships either ignored or played for cheap sitcom laughs. Emma Specter, Vogue, 2 Feb. 2024 The event featured speakers including the writers Audre Lorde and Allen Ginsberg, with a platform that called on Congress to pass comprehensive legislation protecting lesbian and gay rights. Harrison Smith, Washington Post, 25 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lesbian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

(sense 1) from association with the ardent poetry written by Sappho of Lesbos (c. 610-c. 580 b.c.) to and about other women in the female religious and educational community she led

First Known Use

Adjective

1559, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1732, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lesbian was in 1559

Dictionary Entries Near lesbian

Cite this Entry

“Lesbian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lesbian. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lesbian

noun
les·​bi·​an
ˈlez-bē-ən
: a woman who is a homosexual
lesbian adjective
lesbianism
-bē-ə-ˌniz-əm
noun

Medical Definition

lesbian

1 of 2 adjective
les·​bi·​an ˈlez-bē-ən How to pronounce lesbian (audio)
: of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to other women or between women
gay and lesbian adults
a lesbian relationship

lesbian

2 of 2 noun
: a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted to other women : a gay woman

More from Merriam-Webster on lesbian

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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