SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

safe sex

noun

Definition of safe sex

: sexual activity and especially sexual intercourse in which various measures (such as the use of latex condoms or the practice of monogamy) are taken to avoid disease (such as AIDS) transmitted by sexual contact —called also safer sex

See safe sex defined for English-language learners

See safe sex defined for kids

Examples of safe sex in a Sentence

a book advising young people to practice safe sex

First Known Use of safe sex

1968

SAFE SEX Defined for English Language Learners

safe sex

noun

Definition of safe sex for English Language Learners

: sexual activity in which people protect themselves from diseases (such as AIDS) by using condoms or by other methods

Medical Dictionary

safe sex

noun

Medical Definition of safe sex

: sexual activity and especially sexual intercourse in which various measures (as the use of latex condoms or the practice of monogamy) are taken to avoid disease (as AIDS) transmitted by sexual contact—called also safer sex

Learn More about safe sex

See words that rhyme with safe sex Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about safe sex

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up safe sex? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

WORD OF THE DAY

flagrant

play

conspicuously offensive

BROWSE DICTIONARY

safe return

safe seat

safe sex

safe space

safest

Test Your Vocabulary

Time Traveler Quiz: Which Word Came First?

Which came first?

snarky sarcastic

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ

Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Words at Play

alt-599ca1388698f

Drawing a Conclusion About "Sketchy"

How did "sketchy" come to describe creeps?

2-pairs-of-scissors

What's the Singular of 'Scissors'?

A tricky, double-edged word origin.

a-woman-waits-at-the-end-of-a-gloomy-pier-does-she-wait-for-charon-the-ferryman-to-the-underworld-it-is-dark-but-she-carries-a-parasol

Great Words for Twilight and Darkness

Words for the goth in all of us

bunch-of-yellow-balloons-lit-by-the-sun

Helium: This Word Brought to You by a Solar Eclipse

And by the Sun, with some help from Greek.

Ask the Editors

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066

Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless

Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals

Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

time-traveler-quiz-which-word-came-first

Time Traveler Quiz: Which Word Came First?

Which word entered the English language first?

Take the quiz

Name More Food!

Test your knowledge of food vocabulary!

Take the quiz

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

Take the quiz

Word Winder's CrossWinder

Word Winder's CrossWinder

A game of winding words.

Play the game

Examples: safe sex in a Sentence