lesbian

lesbian — noun

1. a woman whose romantic or sexual desires are directed toward people of the same

1.nounB1
Definition

a woman whose romantic or sexual desires are directed toward people of the same gender as herself

Example

Soraya came out as a lesbian after finishing university.

collocation: came out as a lesbian

The support group was for young lesbians who had recently come out to their families.

countable noun with adjective modifier: young lesbians

Common collocations
  • come out as a lesbian
  • openly a lesbian
  • identify as a lesbian
  • young lesbians
  • a lesbian herself
Synonyms
  • gay woman

    broader term that can also refer to gay men; less specific but very common in everyday speech

  • homosexual woman

    more formal and clinical; less common in casual conversation

  • sapphist

    literary or historical term, rarely used in everyday speech; derived from the poet Sappho

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

be + a + lesbian

come out as a lesbian

identify as a lesbian

Usage Note

A neutral and widely accepted term in most contexts. Some women in same-sex relationships prefer the label gay, which is broader. Avoid shortened forms such as lez or lesbo, which can be offensive.

Common Mistakes

He is a lesbian.
She is a lesbian.
lesbian refers only to women; for men, use gay.
She is a lesbian woman.
She is a lesbian.
lesbian already specifies a woman, so adding woman is redundant.

lesbian — adjective

Word family

  • lesbianism
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Lesbian is the most specific and widely accepted term for a woman who is romantically or sexually attracted to other women. Gay woman is a broader alternative that uses the same word as for gay men, which some speakers prefer because it avoids a separate label. Homosexual woman sounds more clinical and technical; it is common in formal or medical writing but rare in everyday conversation. In casual speech, many people simply say gay when the person's gender is already clear from context. For example, friends might say 'Soraya is gay' rather than 'Soraya is a lesbian,' though both are correct. When choosing which term to use, consider your audience: lesbian is precise and respected, gay is broader and more casual, and homosexual is more formal.

lesbian ↗gay womanhomosexual woman

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • come out as a lesbian
  • identify as a lesbian

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

The word comes from the name of the Greek island of Lesbos, where the ancient poet Sappho lived around 600 BCE. Her poetry expressed love and desire toward women. The term lesbian was first used in English during the late 1800s in medical writing, and over time it became the common word that women use to describe themselves when they are attracted to other women.