lesbian

lesbian · adjective, noun, verb¹

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromΛέσβος
2. Latin · derived fromLesbiana
3. English todaylesbian

From Latin Lesbiana, from Ancient Greek Λέσβος (Lésbos) + Latin adjective suffix -iana; by reference to Sappho of Lesbos (whence also sapphist, sapphic), known for her sentimental poems about women. This sense of the word may have been borrowed from, or influenced by, the German cognate lesbisch, where it is found in medical literature from the 1830s.

Lesbian · noun, adjective²

1. Latin · derived fromLesbius“Lesbian”
2. English todayLesbian

From Latin Lesbius (“Lesbian”) (for further etymology, see Ancient Greek Λέσβος (Lésbos)) + adjective suffix -an, from Latin adjective suffix -anus. The sense of “gay woman” is a reference to Sappho, a famous inhabitant of Lesbos and gay poet.

Words from the same roots