demisexual

English

Etymology

From demi- (“half”) +‎ -sexual.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌdɛ.miːˈsɛk.ʃuː.əl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌdɛ.miˈsɛk.ʃu.əl/
• Rhymes: -ɛkʃuəl, -ɛkʃuːəl
• Hyphenation: de‧mi‧sex‧ual

Adjective

demisexual (comparative more demisexual, superlative most demisexual)

1. (of humans) Sexually attracted to people only after a strong emotional bond has been formed. [from 21st c.]
   • 2010 April, Sophie Gamwell, “Asexuality”, in BoLT, number 1, page 14:

     Some people may identify as asexual for a period and then decide that they are in fact demisexual, or even sexual.

   • 2013 February 14, Tracey Hickey, “Asexuality should be recognized as a legitimate sexual orientation”, in The Pitt News, University of Pittsburgh:

     Some think of themselves as demisexual, only able to feel attraction when a very strong emotional bond already exists.

   • 2013, C. J. Bishop, "A mystery wrapped in an enigma – asexuality: a virtual discussion", Psychology & Sexuality, Volume 4, Issue 2, March 2013, page 205 (quoting A. C. Hinderliter):

     In asexual / ace communities in the past few years, there has been an enormous increase in prominence of people identifying as gray-A and as demisexual, with ‘ace’ now sometimes being used as an umbrella term.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:demisexual.

Synonyms

• demi (colloquial)

Coordinate terms

sexual orientation adjectivesedit

• androsexual
• asexual, ace
• bisexual, bi
• demisexual, demi
• graysexual
• gynesexual
• heterosexual, straight, hetero
• homosexual
  • gay
  • lesbian
• omnisexual
• pansexual, pan
• polysexual
• sapiosexual

Derived terms

• demipansexual
• demisexuality

Translations

sexually attracted to people only after a strong emotional bond has been formed

Georgian: დემისექსუალური (demiseksualuri) Hindi: अर्धलैंगिक (ardhlaiṅgik) Portuguese: demissexual (pt) Spanish: demisexual

Noun

demisexual (plural demisexuals)

1. A person who is demisexual.
   • 2011 August, Mark Carrigan, “There’s more to life than sex? Difference and commonality within the asexual community”, in Sexualities, volume 14, number 4, page 470:

     Demisexuals experience sexual attraction as a consequence of romantic attraction but not independently of it.

   • 2011, Holly Combs, "Labeling sexuality is not simple", The Maroon (Loyola University New Orleans), Volume 90, Number 10, 11 November 2011, page 6:

     Demisexuals experience sexual desire only toward people with whom they already have a strong emotional bond. Like an asexual, a demisexual would not see an attractive woman and immediately desire sex, unless, of course, that attractive woman happened to be in a serious emotional relationship with the demisexual.

   • 2013, Whitney Cyr, "Students ‘come out’ and inspire with stories", The Equinox (Keene State College), 24 April 2013:

     Rines identified himself as a demisexual, meaning that he is only sexually attracted to a person once a strong emotional attachment has been formed.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:demisexual.

Synonyms

• demi (colloquial)

Translations

demisexual person

Georgian: დემისექსუალი (demiseksuali) Indonesian: demiseksual Portuguese: demissexual (pt) m or f by sense Spanish: demisexual m or f by sense

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /demiseɡˈswal/ [d̪e.mi.seɣ̞ˈswal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: de‧mi‧se‧xual

Adjective

demisexual m or f (masculine and feminine plural demisexuales)

1. demisexual

Noun

demisexual m or f by sense (plural demisexuales)

1. demisexual