sexual orientation

noun

plural sexual orientations

: a person's sexual identity or self-identification as bisexual, straight, gay, pansexual, etc. : the state of being bisexual, straight, gay, pansexual, etc.

Last summer a proposal submitted to Family Dollar Stores … persuaded the company's board to adopt a policy prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

—William G. Sinkford

Liberace went to extraordinary lengths to hide his sexual orientation from the public.

—Entertainment Weekly

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

sexual orientation

noun

: a person's sexual identity or self-identification as bisexual, heterosexual, gay, etc. : the state of being bisexual, heterosexual, gay, etc.