lesbian

1 of 2

adjective

les·​bi·​an ˈlez-bē-ən 

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

Over 8,500 respondents identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual (LGB+). —arkansasonline.com, 3 July 2025

Even today, gay and lesbian couples face discrimination when seeking to find a child to adopt, working with an agency to find a birth mother, and even in their selection by a birth mother to be the adoptive parents of her child. —Kara Nesvig, Parents, 26 June 2025

Noun

The novel follows them to Bard College, where Maria comes out as a lesbian, and then into early adulthood, each pursuing love and art and finding conflicting ways to make ends meet in New York. —Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 1 July 2025

The two started dating in July 2022, not long after Braunwyn came out as a lesbian in late 2020. —Dave Quinn, People.com, 26 June 2025

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

Kids Definition

lesbian

noun

les·​bi·​an

ˈlez-bē-ən

: a gay woman

lesbian adjective

lesbianism

-bē-ə-ˌniz-əm

noun

Medical Definition

lesbian

1 of 2 adjective

les·​bi·​an ˈlez-bē-ən 

: 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