ENGLISH
REFERENCE

homosexuality

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌhoʊmoʊˌsɛkʃuˈæɫəˌti// UK //hˌəʊməʊsˈɛkʃuːˈælɪti// ho·mo·sex·u·al·i·ty

n. the romantic or sexual attraction to people of your own gender. It describes how some people feel and who they choose to have relationships with.

n. sexual or romantic attraction, or sexual behavior, between members of the same sex or gender.


SIMPLE

The country passed new laws to protect people regardless of their homosexuality.

CONTEXTUAL

Sociologists study how different cultures have viewed homosexuality throughout history, from ancient rituals to modern civil rights movements.

COMPLEX

The shift in clinical perspectives during the late twentieth century led to the removal of homosexuality from many official lists of mental disorders, reflecting a more evidence-based understanding of human diversity.

Synonyms
Origin

From homosexual + -ity, equivalent to homo- + sexuality and after the model of German Homosexualität, coined by journalist Karl Maria Kertbeny in 1869, and French homosexualité, attested in 1891.

Usage

Uncountable in its abstract sense; often used in academic, legal, or historical contexts.

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