Where does “lesbianism” come from?

Lesbianism derives from English lesbian plus the suffix -ism, with lesbian coming from Ancient Greek Lesbianism, the island Λέσβος via Latin -ianus and -ius formations.

lesbianism (English): Female homosexuality; the state of being...

Definitions

  1. Female homosexuality; the state of being...

Ancestry of “lesbianism”, step by step

lesbianism traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English lesbian

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlesbianHomosexual, gay; preferring mostly or exclusively...
2LatinLesbiusLesbian
3Ancient GreekΛέσβιοςLesbian
4Ancient GreekΛέσβοςLesbos
5Hittite𒌷𒆷𒊍𒉺Lesbos
6Akkadian𒉺overseer; foreman; instructor

via Romanian lesbian

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Romanianlesbianlesbian
2Frenchlesbienlesbian

Words derived from “lesbianism”

Every word from Akkadian 𒉺 →Every word from Hittite 𒌷𒆷𒊍𒉺 →Every word from Ancient Greek Λέσβος →