het·ero·sex·u·al
ˌhe-tə-rō-ˈsek-sh(ə-)wəl 
-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
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
Peter Debruge, Variety, 15 July 2025
For the foreseeable future, IVF will remain irreplaceable for some families, including single parents, heterosexual couples whose future children are at high risk of genetic anomalies, and LGBTQ couples pursuing reciprocal IVF, in which one parent provides the egg and another carries the pregnancy.
—Lucy Tu, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025
Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 16 June 2025
For instance, the black lesbian mayor of Cambridge, who succeeded the black gay mayor, seems to have had no comment on Toner’s outing as a heterosexual.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heterosexual
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Adjective
As a lesbian, Jeanne has the luxury of planning out questions of parenthood, whereas her heterosexual younger sister Suzanne (Juliette Armanet) went with the flow, raising two kids, 9-year-old Gaspard (Manoa Varvat) and Margaux (Nina Birman), with her husband until his unforeseen death.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 15 July 2025
For the foreseeable future, IVF will remain irreplaceable for some families, including single parents, heterosexual couples whose future children are at high risk of genetic anomalies, and LGBTQ couples pursuing reciprocal IVF, in which one parent provides the egg and another carries the pregnancy.
—Lucy Tu, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025
Noun
If polyamory feels like a fashionable subplot for Bechdel to tackle, this is only because heterosexuals have recently discovered in it a promising balm for yuppie malaise.
—Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 16 June 2025
For instance, the black lesbian mayor of Cambridge, who succeeded the black gay mayor, seems to have had no comment on Toner’s outing as a heterosexual.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heterosexual
Cite this Entry
“Heterosexual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heterosexual. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
heterosexual
1 of 2 adjective
het·ero·sex·u·al
ˌhet-ə-rō-ˈseksh-(ə-)wəl
-ˈsek-shəl
: of, relating to, or marked by sexual or romantic attraction to people of the opposite sex
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
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 heterosexual—A. C. Kinsey
A. C. Kinsey2
: 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
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