Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “lesbian” come from?

Lesbian derives from Latin Lesbiana, from Ancient Greek Λέσβος with the Latin suffix -ianus, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -yós via Proto-Italic -os.

lesbian (English): Homosexual, gay; preferring mostly or exclusively...

Definitions

  1. Homosexual, gay; preferring mostly or exclusively...

Ancestry of “lesbian”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LatinLesbiusLesbian
2Ancient GreekΛέσβιοςLesbian
3Ancient GreekΛέσβοςLesbos
4Hittite𒌷𒆷𒊍𒉺—
5Akkadian𒉺overseer; foreman; instructor

Words derived from “lesbian”

  • lesbianism
  • lesbo
  • lezzie
  • nonlesbian
  • antilesbian
  • lesbianlike
  • lezzer
  • lesbianness
  • lezzo
  • lesbianic
  • lesbianize
  • lesbianization
  • lesbianoid
  • lesbianistic
  • cislesbian
  • lesbianship
  • lesbianhood
  • lesbiany
  • gold star lesbian
  • lesbianist
  • lesbianish
  • lesbianically
  • translesbian
  • lesbianly
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