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Meaning of bisexual in English:

bisexual

Pronunciation /bʌɪˈsɛkʃʊəl/

See synonyms for bisexual

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adjective

  • 1Sexually attracted not exclusively to people of one particular gender; attracted to both men and women.

    ‘In the decades of gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual activism, minority sexualities have gained increasing understanding and visibility.’
    • ‘In all, this study adds to the small literature on what lesbian and bisexual women find attractive in body shape.’
    • ‘Respondents reported their sexual identity as gay, bisexual, or heterosexual.’
    • ‘There's a lot more awareness and acceptance of gay and lesbian and bisexual lifestyles.’
    • ‘That would prevent the case from setting any legal precedents on same-sex sexual harassment involving gay and bisexual women.’
    • ‘In addition, many such clients are bisexual in attractions and/or behavior.’
    • ‘Heterosexuals' attitudes toward bisexual men and women have only recently become the object of scientific research.’
    • ‘At Phase 1, the target population would be screened for sexual orientation, thus identifying lesbian and bisexual women for the sample.’
    • ‘In conclusion, this exploratory analysis highlights the importance of promoting HIV testing among gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents.’
    • ‘A strength of this book is that most of the authors took care to mention the relevance of the issue under discussion to gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth.’
    • ‘Gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents also may be isolated by street subcultures or by discomfort from what few resources exist.’
    • ‘And he would end the ban on openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals serving in the armed forces.’
    ambisexual
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  • 2Botany
    (of a flower) having both stamens and pistils; hermaphrodite.

    ‘The cone exhibits at least a partially bisexual character that appears to have pollen sacs with monosulcate ribbed pollen grains and sessile, asymmetric, and radiospermic ovules.’
    • ‘Previous studies based on a qualitative analysis have shown a high degree of variability in the mode of expression of carpel/stamen in homeotic bisexual flowers.’
    • ‘Flowers are bisexual, protogynous and pollinated by insects.’
    • ‘Within the anthophyte clade, there is significant homoplasy in the distribution of bisexual reproductive structures.’
    • ‘It is a comparison of mortality among male, bisexual, female and non-flowering Acer rufinerve in each year from 1992 to 1997.’
    hermaphrodite, hermaphroditic
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  • 3Biology
    (of a species) having two distinct sexes.

    ‘in mainland Europe there are eleven bisexual species of this genus’
    • ‘The occurrence of occasional hermaphroditism in a few species that are usually bisexual is of especial interest.’
    • ‘Those in flowing waters are bisexual, the transference of the spermatozoa to the eggs being assisted by the current.’
    • ‘Species in which this occurs tend to have wider distributions than bisexual species.’
    • ‘Both sexes of this bisexual species develop from fertilized eggs but at different times following fertilization.’
    • ‘Each natural population of a bisexual species evolves simultaneously at a large number of loci.’
    1. 3.1(of reproduction) involving separate male and female sexes.
      ‘in fungi, unisexual reproduction has been observed in several species that can also undergo traditional bisexual reproduction’
      • ‘A low-density population of a species could be induced to initiate bisexual reproduction by populations of other species.’
      • ‘Bisexual reproduction, by doubling the sources of inheritance, doubles the opportunities for variation of characteristics in descent.’
      • ‘The ability to undergo both unisexual and bisexual reproduction may provide evolutionary advantages.’
      • ‘Reproduction is bisexual among the homopterans, although asexual reproduction occurs in the aphids.’
      • ‘In most insects reproduction is bisexual.’

noun

  • A person who is sexually attracted not exclusively to people of one particular gender.

    ‘Lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals represent a sexual minority, and like other minorities, they often face experiences of discrimination.’
    • ‘The choice can be even more complicated for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered people.’
    • ‘Myths and stereotypes about bisexuals abound.’
    • ‘Growing up as a bisexual was horribly confusing and I always had to be one thing or the other and in actual fact I'm neither.’