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Definition of nonheterosexual

nonheterosexual

/ˌnɒnˌhɛtərəʊˈsɛkʃuəl/
non · het · er · o · sex · u · al

Adverb:nonheterosexually
•
Plural:nonheterosexuals
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nonheterosexual Lexical Profile

nonheterosexual Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A person whose sexual orientation is not exclusively heterosexual.

Example

"The demographic survey was specifically designed to capture the diverse experiences of nonheterosexuals living in rural communities."

Word Nuance & Usage

This term is primarily used in academic, sociological, and demographic contexts as a formal umbrella category; in everyday conversational English, people generally prefer specific identity labels (e.g., gay, bisexual) or broader terms like 'queer'.

• Rhymes for nonheterosexual

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed by adding the prefix 'non-' to 'heterosexual' (a term coined in the late 19th century from Greek 'heteros' meaning different, and Latin 'sexus'). It emerged in the late 20th century in scientific and sociological literature to group together individuals outside the heterosexual majority for research purposes.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Nonheterosexual. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/nonheterosexual
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