heterosexual
/ˌhɛtəɹəˈsɛkʃuəl/ · het·er·o·sex·u·al
noun
- A heterosexual person, or other heterosexual organism. The zookeeper noted that the heterosexual pair of pandas were mating successfully.
- A person who is attracted to members of the opposite sex. As a heterosexual, she found it difficult to understand the complexities of same-sex relationships.
adjective
- Sexually attracted to members of the opposite sex. The movie portrayed a heterosexual romance between two characters from different backgrounds.
Did you know? The term 'heterosexual' was first used in the 1860s by the German sexologist Karl-Maria Kertbeny, who used it to describe individuals with a sexual orientation towards members of the opposite sex.