Meanings
- slanguncountableThe ability to detect whether or not a person is heterosexual by observing that person.
The Women's Motorcycle Contingent looked very leathergay, but my "straightdar" went off at a few of the women.
1992 July 1, Elaine Richards, “Re: Another Project for Heterosexuals”, in soc.motss (Usenet)2 more examples
<G> It is 'gaydar' -- and mine has never been wrong so far... My 'straightdar' HAS been wrong once -- I mistook a lesbian for a straight girl (we became best of friends after that).
1997 May 16, Daermonestroer Dragon [username], “Re: Pedophiles (Was: How can I find shoe fetish dragons?)”, in rec.games.computer.ultima-dragons (Usenet)Gay or straight, we've all made incorrect assumptions about someone's sexual orientation, so the likelihood of “gaydar” or even “straightdar” as a meaningful idea is unlikely.
2008, Robin Sawyer, Sexpertise: Real Answers to Real Questions About Sex, Simon Spotlight Entertainment, →ISBN, page 177
Origin
From straight + -dar, after the pattern of gaydar.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
straightdar. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/straightdar
“straightdar.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/straightdar. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “straightdar,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/straightdar.
Source: straightdar on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.