heterosexual

1 of 2

adjective

het·​ero·​sex·​u·​al ˌhe-tə-rō-ˈsek-sh(ə-)wəl How to pronounce heterosexual (audio)
-ˈsek-shəl
1
a
: of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to or between people of the opposite sex
heterosexual men/women
a heterosexual couple
b
: of, relating to, or involving sexual activity between individuals of the opposite sex
2
: of or relating to different sexes
heterosexually adverb

heterosexual

2 of 2

noun

plural heterosexuals
: a person who is sexually or romantically attracted to people of the opposite sex : a heterosexual person

Examples of heterosexual in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The production boasted a cast of nearly all gay male comedians, save for one heterosexual woman. Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 But Tenenbaum and Strings each gesture toward a world that frees heterosexual people, even married ones, to seriously reckon with—and establish deep connections beyond—the insularity of the family unit. Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2024 Some of them are also facing not necessarily being encouraged to be their true selves because of a tradition that a culture that traditionally still struggles with the idea of being anything different than heterosexual. Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 Research shows that the earnings gap between heterosexual spouses doubles between two years before the birth of their first child and one year after. Mark Travers, Forbes, 17 Feb. 2024 Would the obligations be different in the case of a heterosexual couple, which society is more accepting of? Patrick Frater, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024 Examining the evolution of masculinities within heterosexual intimate partner relationships since the 1980s, the study sheds light on the challenges and opportunities presented by each masculinity type. Mark Travers, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 Wealth inequality between married partners overwhelmingly favors the husband in a heterosexual relationship, which can leave the wife with little financial freedom and stuck in a relationship that can be uncomfortable or even dangerous. TIME, 13 Feb. 2024 After an initial match, women in heterosexual pairings are given the opportunity to send a message before the man can. USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2024
Noun
Implicitly, playing heterosexuals is no longer permissible. Armond White, National Review, 2 Feb. 2024 Though PrEP has been embraced by gay and trans Americans, it is prescribed less often to heterosexuals over 50 or women of any age. Michael Scaturro | Kff Health News, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2023 Consequently, a population of heterosexuals who are not in monogamous long-term relationships are now newly ineligible to donate blood. Benjamin Ryan, NBC News, 7 Aug. 2023 Recent studies have also found that rates of mental illness in lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth far outpace those in heterosexuals: Between 2015 and 2019, suicidality rates in these individuals were five times higher, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Eli Cahan, The New Republic, 10 July 2023 The white working classes also resent their cultural marginalization by liberal elites, who champion diversity while presenting whites, heterosexuals, and men as the enemies of progress. Andreas Wimmer, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2019 One simply cannot applaud cis white heterosexual males enough for doing the bare minimum required of a human being. Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 14 Dec. 2022 Remember: Any human who didn’t fit the cultural norm (heterosexual) has spent their lives either in a form of hiding or living out loud while often endangering their emotional, physical and economic safety. Meghan Leahy, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2022 Shifting our wider definition of family is not just about including those who are childfree or prospective parents who sit outside of the heterosexual, cis norm. Sadhbh O'Sullivan, refinery29.com, 13 Feb. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heterosexual.' 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

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

Adjective

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heterosexual was in 1892

Dictionary Entries Near heterosexual

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

heterosexual

1 of 2 adjective
het·​ero·​sex·​u·​al ˌhet-ə-rō-ˈseksh-(ə-)wəl How to pronounce heterosexual (audio)
-ˈsek-shəl
: of, relating to, or marked by sexual interest in members of the opposite sex
heterosexuality noun

heterosexual

2 of 2 noun
: a heterosexual individual

Medical Definition

heterosexual

1 of 2 adjective
het·​ero·​sex·​u·​al ˌhet-ə-rō-ˈseksh-(ə-)wəl, -ˈsek-shəl How to pronounce heterosexual (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to or between individuals of the opposite sex
b
: of, relating to, or involving sexual activity between individuals of the opposite sex
sexual relationships between individuals of opposite sexes are heterosexualA. C. Kinsey
2
: of or relating to different sexes

heterosexual

2 of 2 noun
: a person who is sexually or romantically attracted to people of the opposite sex : a heterosexual individual

More from Merriam-Webster on heterosexual

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