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

America’s first lesbian spiritual quarterly, WomanSpirit, was produced on Wolf Creek’s pioneering Amazon colony, Rootworks. —Matt Thompson, SPIN, 11 May 2026

On lesbian identity and the gendered politics of ugliness. —Literary Hub, 8 May 2026

Noun

Think Brokeback Mountain meets La Belle Noiseuse but with both lesbians and gays and a more hopeful ending. —Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026

As a former economist and investment banker—and a lesbian who is raising two boys with her partner, a Sri Lankan woman—Weidel has often been described as an unlikely figure to lead a party that champions traditional values and tight border controls. —Nick Tabor, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026

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