sexual union
1
4.9
- noun
- /ˈsɛkʃuəl ˈjunɪən/
- NSFW
:
unión sexual
- A sexual union is an essential part of reproduction in many species.
Examples
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The marital acts of a husband and wife whose sexual union cannot give them a child are morally right, provided they are performed in a loving manner, and provided they are intended to fulfill the behavioral conditions of procreation.
Academic text (2008) -
Travel and encounter will provide the possibility for sexual union, reproduction, and "cultural improvement."
Academic text (1996) -
Here again, the paradoxical nature: virgin women writing on sexual union, affirming the role of sex.
Blog text (24) -
Thus, the investment is a form of "avoidance costs" that would not have been necessary if absolute fidelity characterized all sexual unions.
Academic text (1994) -
Instead, its very purpose lies in channeling the erotic and interpersonal impulses between men and women in a particular direction: one in which men and women commit to each other and to the children that their sexual unions commonly produce.
Academic text (2008) -
None of us would be here if it weren't for the very natural sexual union between man and woman; but we wouldn't be having this discussion if that union weren't being undervalued and underappreciated by both sides.
Blog text (24) -
The couple's sexual union was a joyful event, marking the beginning of their family.
-
In many cultures, a sexual union often signifies a deep commitment between partners.
Synonyms
103
8.3
Sex between people
86
3.4
A male and female animal coming together to have babies
62
3.4
Sex between people, for example in a romantic or casual relationship
31
3.2
An act in which one person's penis enters another person's vagina
5
5.8
Pairing of a male and female to have young
1
7.5
To have sex with someone
1
3.5
Bringing a male and a female together so they can have young
Antonyms
How Intimate
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently built from 'sexual' (relating to sex/reproduction) combined with 'union' (a joining), so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to joining for sexual/reproductive activity. This compositional pattern is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, making the MWE immediately comprehensible to a B1-level learner.
Etymology
Sexual union comes from the simple idea of joining: sexual means 'relating to sex' and union means 'coming together', so the phrase shows a male and a female joining to reproduce.