Not bent or curved; going in one clear direction without turning.
From Old English past participle “streht” or “streaht” of “streccan,” to stretch. It originally meant stretched out or extended without bending.
“Straight” started as a geometry idea but quickly became moral—‘straight’ talk, ‘straight’ behavior. The word quietly suggests that being honest or conventional is like walking in a line without zigzags.
‘Straight’ is widely used to mean heterosexual, in contrast to gay, lesbian, bi, or queer identities. Heterosexuality has historically been treated as the default or 'normal' orientation, which marginalized and erased other sexual orientations.
Use 'straight' descriptively, not as a synonym for 'normal' or 'natural.' When orientation is irrelevant, avoid labeling people by it at all.
["heterosexual (formal)","non-queer (context-dependent, with care)"]
LGBTQ+ activists, including many women and nonbinary people, have challenged straight-as-default assumptions and expanded language for diverse orientations.
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