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HETEROSEXUAL

 - 6 dictionary results

het⋅er⋅o⋅sex⋅u⋅al

  [het-er-uh-sek-shoo-uhl or, especially Brit., -seks-yoo-]
Use HETEROSEXUAL in a Sentence
–adjective
1. of, pertaining to, or exhibiting heterosexuality.
2. Biology. pertaining to the opposite sex or to both sexes.
–noun
3. a heterosexual person.
Origin:
1890–95; hetero- + sexual
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To HETEROSEXUAL
het·er·o·sex·u·al   (hět'ə-rō-sěk'shōō-əl)   
adj.  

  1. Sexually oriented to persons of the opposite sex.

  2. Of or relating to different sexes.

n.  A heterosexual person.
het'er·o·sex'u·al·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

heterosexual  (adj.)
1892, in C.G. Craddock's translation of Krafft-Ebbing's "Psychopathia Sexualis." The noun is recorded from 1920, but not in common use until 1960s. Colloquial shortening hetero is from 1933. Heterosexuality is first recorded 1900. Heterosexist "characteristic of discrimination against homosexuals" is first attested 1979.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1het·ero·sex·u·al
Pronunciation: "het-&-rO-'seksh-(&-)w&l, -'sek-sh&l
Function: adjective
1a : of, relating to, or characterized by a tendency to direct sexual desire toward individuals of the opposite sex —compare HOMOSEXUAL 1 b : of, relating to, or involving sexual intercourse between a male and a female heterosexual —A. C. Kinsey> —compare HOMOSEXUAL 2
2 : of or relating to differentsexes —het·ero·sex·u·al·ly /-'seksh-(&-)w&-lE, -'sek-sh&-lE/ adverb

Main Entry: 2heterosexual
Function: noun
: a heterosexual individual
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

heterosexual het·er·o·sex·u·al (hět'ə-rō-sěk'sh&oomacr;-əl)
adj.
Sexually oriented to persons of the opposite sex. n.
A heterosexual person.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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