Lesbian
1
8.7
- noun
- /ˈlɛzbiən/
- The festival celebrated the culture of the native lesbians of Lesbos with art, music, and poetry.
- Lesbian and Gay
- Lesbians and Gay Men
- Lesbians and Gays
Examples
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The guide spoke about the contributions of lesbians from Lesbos to literature and the arts.
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Many tourists visit Lesbos to learn about the history and traditions of its lesbians.
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So in my class of about 15, there was likely to be at least one gay or lesbian.
Academic text (1995) -
When you walk in, lesbians all over the place, right?
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Somebody at work told me it's, like, a sea of lesbians.
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What are you saying about lesbians?
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I don't avoid lesbians at all.
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The researchers estimated that fewer than half the gays and lesbians they knew in their departments were completely out.
Academic text (1995) -
Gays and lesbians who are closeted may be attracted to fields that allow more privacy.
Academic text (1995) -
Popular writing of the 1950s tended to focus on detecting "role models," famous homosexuals and lesbians of the past.
Academic text (1995)
Compounds
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Lesbian comes from the Greek island Lesbos, so it originally meant 'a person from Lesbos'. The island was famous for the poet Sappho, and because of her poems about love between women, people later used the word for women who love women.