bisexual
/ˌbaɪˈsekʃuəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌbaɪˈsekʃuəl/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˌ)bī-ˈsek-sh(ə-)wəl -shəl/ (ame, mw) · /baɪˈsek.ʃu.əl/ (bre, ipa) · /baɪˈsek.ʃu.əl/ (ame, ipa)
bisexual — adjective
1. feeling romantic or sexual interest in both women and men, rather than only one
feeling romantic or sexual interest in both women and men, rather than only one gender.
Fadi came out as bisexual to her parents during dinner last Sunday.
predicative: come out as bisexual
Sven realised he was bisexual after dating both women and men in college.
The novel features a bisexual character who falls in love with her best friend.
Many bisexual teenagers feel pressure to pick a single label for their identity.
Diego told his sister he was bisexual long before telling anyone else.
- heterosexual
attracted only to a different gender
- homosexual
attracted only to the same gender; clinical-sounding today
用法筆記
Used of people. Can be predicative ("she is bisexual") or attributive ("a bisexual writer"). Distinguish from sense 2, which describes things connected to bisexual people, not the people themselves.
常見錯誤
2. describing groups, communities, events, or experiences that are made up of or fo
describing groups, communities, events, or experiences that are made up of or focused on people who are attracted to both genders.
The library hosted a panel on bisexual representation in modern television shows.
attributive only: bisexual representation / community / visibility
Saoirse joined a bisexual support group at his university last September.
The march celebrated bisexual visibility and called for better health services.
Researchers studied bisexual dating patterns among college students in three cities.
文法句型
bisexual + noun
用法筆記
Only attributive: appears before a noun, never after a linking verb. Subject is usually an abstract noun (community, history, experience, visibility). Distinguish from sense 1, which describes a person directly.
常見錯誤
bisexual — noun
1. someone whose romantic or sexual feelings are directed at both women and men.
someone whose romantic or sexual feelings are directed at both women and men.
As a bisexual, Diego felt unwelcome in groups that only accepted gay or straight members.
as a bisexual (in apposition)
The survey asked whether bisexuals face different mental health challenges than gay men.
plural: bisexuals
Sven wrote a memoir about growing up as a bisexual in a small farming town.
The actor said many bisexuals he knew hid their identity at work.
- bi
informal short form, often preferred by speakers themselves
- heterosexual
as a noun, also sometimes considered clinical
- homosexual
old-fashioned and now often avoided
文法句型
a bisexual
bisexuals (plural)
用法筆記
Many speakers prefer the adjective form ("she is bisexual") over the noun ("she is a bisexual"), which can sound clinical or labelling. The plural "bisexuals" is more accepted in research or journalism than in everyday speech.