les·bi·an
ˈlez-bē-ən 
1
: of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to other women or between women
gay and lesbian veterans
a lesbian relationship
2
Lesbian
: of or relating to Lesbos
plural lesbians
: a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted to other women : a gay woman
lesbians and gay men
Examples of lesbian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 16 June 2026
Early issues featured confident, curious writing from a broad diaspora of lesbian thinkers mostly working outside the academy—as evinced in this issue on ethnic lesbians.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 15 June 2026
Andrew Destin, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2026
At 61/2, she was immediately branded a lesbian and frozen out.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lesbian
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Adjective
From anecdotes about living on location in the Nevada desert to shopping it around to distributors on videotape, their accounts illuminate the film’s winding path from a gutsy grassroots project to a Sundance hit that changed how lesbian love stories were shown on the big screen.
—Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 16 June 2026
Early issues featured confident, curious writing from a broad diaspora of lesbian thinkers mostly working outside the academy—as evinced in this issue on ethnic lesbians.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 15 June 2026
Noun
Egypt has arrested and prosecuted gays and lesbians on the basis of vague indecency laws and has cracked down on any outward expressions of Pride, especially the waving of rainbow flags.
—Andrew Destin, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2026
At 61/2, she was immediately branded a lesbian and frozen out.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lesbian
Cite this Entry
“Lesbian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lesbian. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
lesbian
1 of 2 adjective
les·bi·an
ˈlez-bē-ən
: of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to other women or between women
gay and lesbian adults
a lesbian relationship
lesbian
2 of 2 noun
: a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted to other women : a gay woman
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