Where does “homosexuality” come from?
Homosexuality derives from homosexual plus the French suffix -ité, tracing through Latin -itas and Ancient Greek ὁμός meaning same, with further etymological connections to Latin -alis and Proto-Indo-European roots.
homosexuality (English): The state of being sexually attracted primarily...
Definitions
- The state of being sexually attracted primarily...
Ancestry of “homosexuality”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | homosexual | Possessing sexual and/or emotional attraction... |
| 2 | German | homosexual | — |
| 3 | German | homo- | homo |
| 4 | German | homosexuell | homosexual |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ὁμός | same, common, joint |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | φύλον | a set of people or other beings |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | φιλία | friendship, love, affection, fondness;... |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | Ἁρμονία | Harmonia |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | -ῐ́ᾱ | {{l|en|-ia}}; "suffix forming abstract feminine... |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -íh₂ | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | -h₂ | Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups... |