Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “heterosexist” come from?

Heterosexist derives from English sex, which comes from Latin sexus, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sek- meaning to cut or divide.

heterosexist (English): A homophobic heterosexual person

Definitions

  1. A homophobic heterosexual person

Ancestry of “heterosexist”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishheterosexualSexually attracted to members of the opposite...
2English-sexualForms a noun or adjective describing a state or...
3EnglishsexualArising from the fact of being male or female;...
4Latinsexuālis—
5Latinsexusdivision; sex; gender
6Proto-Italicseksus—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanséksus—
8Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever

Words derived from “heterosexist”

  • nonheterosexist
  • heterosexistly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek- →