homosexualité

Forms

homosexualité f (plural homosexualités)^[1]

Etymology

It is probably borrowed from German Homosexualität, found in German from 1869 in an anonymous text attributed to Karl Maria Benkert (who wrote as Kertbeny), a compound of the element homo- and Sexualität.^[2] The French word thus corresponds to homo- and sexualité.^[2] The Grand Robert, the Petit Robert and the GLLF instead derive it from homosexuel,^[3][4][5] which entered French in the same article of 1891, probably also from German.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1891 in an article by Dr Chatelain in the Annales médico-psychologiques,^[2][3][4] for sexual attraction between men.^[6]

Semantic evolution

The word was applied first to men, alongside inversion and pédérastie, and later to women as well, beside lesbianisme and saphisme.^[6] Its opposite hétérosexualité followed in 1894 and remained a learned word.^[6] The GLLF dates its entry in the Larousse dictionaries to 1907.^[5]

Timeline

• 1869 – German Homosexualität appears in an anonymous text.^[2]
• 1891 – Dr Chatelain uses homosexualité in the Annales médico-psychologiques.^[2]
• 1894 – Hétérosexualité is recorded.^[6]
• 1907 – Larousse records the word.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. Sexual attraction to people of one's own sex; the fact of being homosexuel, and homosexual behaviour, as opposed to hétérosexualité.^[7][8][2]
2. Homosexualité masculine, homosexualité féminine: homosexuality between men, between women.^[4][7]

Related words

• homosexuel
• hétérosexualité
• sexualité
• homo-

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
8. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)