homosexual
UK[ˌhəʊ.məˈsek.ʃu.əl]US[ˌhoʊ.məˈsek.ʃu.əl]
adj
Sexually or romantically attracted to people of one's own sex.
n
A person who is sexually or romantically attracted to people of their own sex.
Morpheme Breakdown
homo
sexual
homo
same
sexual
relating to sex
Etymology
The word 'homosexual' is a modern scientific compound, coined in the 19th century from Greek and Latin roots. The first element, 'homo-', derives from the Ancient Greek homos, meaning "same" or "one and the same". The second element, '-sexual', originates from the Latin sexus, referring to the state of being male or female. The term was constructed to provide a neutral, clinical descriptor for same-sex attraction, directly translating the concept of "same sex" from its classical components. This formation distinguishes it from the Latin root homo meaning "man", which is the source of the unrelated word 'homo sapiens'.
Analysis
Structure: homo (same) + sexual (relating to sex)
homo: From Greek homos meaning "same".
sexual: From Latin sexus meaning "sex" or "gender", combined with the adjectival suffix -alis.
Examples
He was involved in the campaign for homosexual rights.
The study surveyed both homosexual and heterosexual individuals.
She identified as homosexual from a young age.