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bisexual person

bisexual person

1 3.7
A person who is attracted to both men and women
  • noun
  • /ˌbaɪˈsɛkʃuəl ˈpɜrsən/
translation icon : persona bisexual
  • In addition, 36 (4.5%) reported that since DADT was repealed, an openly gay or bisexual person joined their units.
  • bisexual and lesbian people
  • bisexual and gay people

Examples

  • Lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, for example, may assume attitudes, behaviors, or clothes that do not fit their "appropriate" gender.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Breaking news: first openly bisexual person elected to Congress.

    Blog text (30)
  • The survey did not include a question about respondents' personal interactions with bisexual people.

    Academic text (2002)
  • What are your thoughts about lesbian, gay, and bisexual people and issues of morality?

    Academic text (2003)
  • Few studies compare the sexual behavior of straight persons, gay men, lesbian women, and bisexual persons.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Seeing lesbian, gay, and bisexual people being affectionate with one another?

    Academic text (2003)
  • Future research should describe these patterns and assess how they are related to the acceptance or rejection of bisexual people.

    Academic text (2002)
  • The RE program provides students, faculty and staff, straight, gay, and bisexual people with opportunities to engage with one another in a reciprocal process of learning and teaching.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Of the gay male, lesbian, and bisexual people whom Kitzinger (1991) surveyed, 75% reported hiding their sexual identity at work.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Many bisexual people feel a lack of representation in mainstream media.

Synonyms

bisexual
vsbisexual person
7 4.2

A person who is sexually attracted to both men and women

is the same meaning presented as the main entry
Bi
vsbisexual person
  • Informal
3 7.2

A short form of bisexual for someone attracted to people of more than one gender

refers specifically to attraction to both men and women
switch-hitter
vsbisexual person
  • Slang
1 9.9

An informal term for a person who is sexually attracted to both men and women

is the neutral descriptive phrase without slang
ambisexual
vsbisexual person
8.3

Sexually attracted to both men and women

is the headword phrased in the entry rather than that alternative

How Heterosexual

bisexual person
1 3.7
homosexual
140 4.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

bisexual + person

The meaning is directly and transparently composed from 'bisexual' (attracted to both men and women) plus 'person' (a human individual), so the phrase simply labels someone with that attribute. This adjective + noun structure follows standard English composition and is cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand it.

Etymology

Bisexual person uses bi- which means 'two' and sexual which means 'about sexual attraction'. Imagine a person whose attraction points in two directions, toward both 'men' and 'women', so it means someone who is attracted to both.