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

London — Grace Richardson, a 20-year-old musical theater student, has become the first-ever out lesbian winner of the Miss England beauty pageant. —Jack Guy, CNN Money, 28 Nov. 2025

Here, the true villain is not Carmilla, the lesbian vampire. —Ana Osorno, Them., 21 Nov. 2025

Noun

Proving that there is no age limit to good tongue skills, an 81-year-old woman who competed in a San Francisco lesbian pie-eating contest won Best Technique, per viral social media videos about the event. —Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 1 Dec. 2025

Literally toxic lesbians — kidding. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 1 Dec. 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