sexually attracted to people of one's own sex
From Greek homos 'same' + Latin sexualis 'relating to sex', coined in German in 1869
The word 'homosexual' was actually invented by a German-Hungarian journalist in 1869 who was advocating for gay rights - it was progressive terminology for its time!
Originally a clinical/medicalized term combining Greek and Latin roots, used pathologetically throughout 20th century. The categorization itself was contested as imposing taxonomy that erased diverse self-identifications and served medical gatekeeping.
Prefer identity terms people choose for themselves (gay, lesbian, queer) or use 'same-sex attraction/relationships.' Use 'homosexual' only in historical or clinical contexts where appropriate.
["gay","lesbian","same-sex relationships","queer"]
LGBTQ+ communities reclaimed and redefined terminology on their own terms, rejecting medicalized language in favor of self-determined identity markers.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.