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bisexuality - 5 dictionary results

bi⋅sex⋅u⋅al

[bahy-sek-shoo-uhl]
–adjective
1. Biology.
a. of both sexes.
b. combining male and female organs in one individual; hermaphroditic.
2. sexually responsive to both sexes; ambisexual.
–noun
3. Biology. an animal or plant that has the reproductive organs of both sexes.
4. a person sexually responsive to both sexes; ambisexual.

Origin:
1815–25; bi- 1 + sexual


bi⋅sex⋅u⋅al⋅i⋅ty, bi⋅sex⋅u⋅al⋅ism, noun
bi⋅sex⋅u⋅al⋅ly, adverb
bi·sex·u·al   (bī-sěk'shōō-əl)   
adj.  
  1. Of or relating to both sexes.
    1. Having both male and female reproductive organs; hermaphroditic.
    2. Botany Denoting a single flower that contains functional staminate and pistillate structures; perfect.
  2. Of, relating to, or having a sexual orientation to persons of either sex.
n.  
  1. A bisexual organism; a hermaphrodite.
  2. A bisexual person.
bi'sex·u·al'i·ty (-āl'ĭ-tē) n., bi·sex'u·al·ly adv.

bisexuality

Sexual activity with, or sexual attraction to, members of both sexes.


bisexuality 
"attraction to both sexes" 1892, in translation of Krafft-Ebing; bisexual (adj.) is 1914; earlier meaning (1824) was "hermaphroditic." Not in general use until 1950s. Noun is 1922. Ambisexual was suggested 1924 but never caught on. Abbreviated form bi first attested 1956.

bisexuality

in biology, the condition of an organism capable of producing both male and female gametes (sex cells). In plants and microorganisms, this is often referred to as monoecism. In multicellular animals, bisexuality is usually called hermaphroditism (q.v.).

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