Adjacent Words

Sexual definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SEX'UAL, a. [from sex.]
1. Pertaining to sex or the sexes; distinguishing the sex; denoting what is particular to the distinction and office of male and female; as sexual characteristics; sexual intercourse, connection or commerce.
2. Sexual systemm in botany, the system which ascribes to vegetables the distinction of sexes, suppose that plants are male and female, each sex furnished with the appropriate organs or parts; the male producing a pollen or dust which fecundates the stigma of the pistil or female organ, and is necessary to render it prolific. It is found however that most plants are hermaphrodite, the male and female organs being contained in the same flower. This doctrine was taught to a certain extent by Theophrastus, Dioscorides and Pliny among the ancients, but has been more fully illustrated by Caesalpinus, Grew, Camerarius, Linne and many others among the moderns.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: of or relating to or characterized by sexuality; "sexual orientation"; "sexual distinctions"
2: having or involving sex; "sexual reproduction"; "sexual spores" [ant: asexual, nonsexual]
3: involved in a sexual relationship; "the intimate (or sexual) relations between husband and wife"; "she had been intimate with many men"; "he touched her intimate parts" [syn: intimate, sexual]

Merriam Webster's

adjective Etymology: Late Latin sexualis, from Latin sexus sex Date: 1651 1. of, relating to, or associated with sex or the sexes <sexual differentiation> <sexual conflict> 2. having or involving sex <sexual reproduction> • sexually adverb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 of or relating to sex, or to the sexes or the relations between them. 2 Bot. (of classification) based on the distinction of sexes in plants. 3 Biol. having a sex. Phrases and idioms: sexual intercourse the insertion of a man's erect penis into a woman's vagina, usu. followed by the ejaculation of semen. Derivatives: sexuality n. sexually adv. Etymology: LL sexualis (as SEX)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Sexual Sex"u*al, a. [L. sexualis, fr. sexus sex: cf. F. sexuel.] Of or pertaining to sex, or the sexes; distinguishing sex; peculiar to the distinction and office of male or female; relating to the distinctive genital organs of the sexes; proceeding from, or based upon, sex; as, sexual characteristics; sexual intercourse, connection, or commerce; sexual desire; sexual diseases; sexual generation. Sexual dimorphism (Biol.), the condition of having one of the sexes existing in two forms, or varieties, differing in color, size, etc., as in many species of butterflies which have two kinds of females. Sexual method (Bot.), a method of classification proposed by Linn[ae]us, founded mainly on difference in number and position of the stamens and pistils of plants. Sexual selection (Biol.), the selective preference of one sex for certain characteristics in the other, such as bright colors, musical notes, etc.; also, the selection which results from certain individuals of one sex having more opportunities of pairing with the other sex, on account of greater activity, strength, courage, etc.; applied likewise to that kind of evolution which results from such sexual preferences. --Darwin. In these cases, therefore, natural selection seems to have acted independently of sexual selection. --A. R. Wallace.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. Sexual feelings or activities are connected with the act of sex or with people's desire for sex. This was the first sexual relationship I had had... Men's sexual fantasies often have little to do with their sexual desire. ADJ: usu ADJ n • sexually ...sexually transmitted diseases... How many kids in this school are sexually active? ADV: ADV with v, ADV adj 2. Sexual means relating to the differences between male and female people. Women's groups denounced sexual discrimination. ADJ: usu ADJ n • sexually If you're sexually harassed, you ought to do something about it. ADV: ADV with v 3. Sexual means relating to the differences between heterosexuals and homosexuals. ...couples of all sexual persuasions. ADJ: usu ADJ n 4. Sexual means relating to the biological process by which people and animals produce young. Girls generally reach sexual maturity two years earlier than boys. ADJ: usu ADJ n • sexually The first organisms that reproduced sexually were free-floating plankton. ADV: ADV with v, ADV adj

Moby Thesaurus

amative, amatory, amorous, animal, aphrodisiomaniacal, ardent, bawdy, bodily, caressive, carnal, clitoromaniacal, concupiscent, coquettish, coy, desirous, dirty, earthy, erogenic, erogenous, erotic, eroticomaniacal, erotogenic, erotomaniacal, fleshly, flirtatious, flirty, gametic, gamic, genital, goatish, gynecomaniacal, heterosexual, horny, hot, hysteromaniacal, impassioned, ithyphallic, lascivious, lecherous, lewd, libidinal, libidinous, lickerish, loverlike, loverly, lubricious, lustful, nuptial, nymphomaniacal, obscene, oversexed, passionate, physical, potent, priapic, procreant, procreative, propagative, prurient, randy, reproductive, salacious, satyric, seminal, sensual, sensuous, sex, sexed, sexlike, sexy, spermatic, spermatozoal, spermatozoan, spermatozoic, spermic, sporal, sporogenous, sporoid, sporous, straight, undersexed, venereal, voluptuous