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sex(1) (iou)



sex noun & adjective. LME.
[Old & mod. French sexe or Latin sexus.]
A. noun.
Either of the two main divisions (male and female) into which many organisms are placed on the basis of their reproductive functions or capacities; collect. (treated as sing. or pl.) the males or females of a particular species, esp. the human race. LME.
P. G. Wodehouse You are a pearl.., the queen of your sex. M. Hadfield The flowers are in catkins, the sexes nearly always on different trees. Which? Equal pension rights for both sexes.
b. the sex, the female sex, women collectively. arch. L16.
The quality or fact of belonging to a particular sex; possession or membership of a sex. E16.
Smollett As for me, my sex protects me. M. Elphinstone When persons of different sexes walk together, the woman..follows the man. Health Promotion Greater mortality of people with no sick days was independent of age, sex,..and health habits. Nature The dandelion..probably lost sex only recently.
[By confusion.] A sect. L16-E18.
The difference between male and female, esp. in humans. Now spec. the sum of the physiological and behavioural characteristics distinguishing members of either sex; (manifestations or consequences of) sexual instincts, desires, etc. Cf. GENDER noun 3b. M17.
W. Cartwright My Soul's as Male as yours; there's no Sex in the mind. M. Frayn Pornography, marriage,..tenderness, striptease..were all 'sex'. G. Daly Rose..knew little about sex.
b. Physical contact between individuals involving sexual stimulation of the genitals, sexual intercourse; spec. copulation, coitus. Freq. in have sex (with). colloq. E20.
Woman's Own Trends..that make sex before marriage..easy.
c. euphem. Genitals; a penis; a vagina. M20.
Phrases: safe sex: see SAFE adjective. sex and shopping a genre of popular novels concerning wealthy and glamorous characters typically indulging in frequent sexual relationships and extravagant spending. softer sex, soft sex: see SOFT adjective. the fair sex, the fairer sex, the gentle sex, the gentler sex the female sex, women collectively. the opposite sex: see OPPOSITE adjective 3b. the rougher sex: see ROUGH adjective. the second sex the female sex, women collectively. the sterner sex the male sex, men collectively. the third sex homosexuals collectively. the weaker sex = the fairer sex above.
Comb.: sex act the act of sexual intercourse; sex appeal sexual attractiveness; sex attractant a substance produced by one sex of a species that attracts members of the opposite sex; a synthetic substance with the same property; sex-blind adjective not discriminating between the sexes; sex bomb colloq. = sexpot below; sex cell a reproductive cell, with either male or female function; a sperm cell, an egg cell; sex change a change of sex; spec. an apparent change of sex brought about by surgical means, treatment with hormones, etc.; sex chromatin (the material of) a Barr body; sex chromosome each of the chromosomes (normally two in number) in a cell's chromosomal complement, the particular combination of which (as XX or XY) determines an individual's sex; sex crime a crime involving sexual assault or having a sexual motive; a sexual act regarded as a crime; sex criminal a person committing a sex crime; sex determination the biological mechanism that determines the sex of an individual; sex discrimination = SEXUAL discrimination; sex drive the urge to seek satisfaction of sexual needs; sex factor (a) a chromosome or gene which determines sex; (b) a bacterial plasmid which can promote the transfer of genetic material from its ('male') host to another ('female') bacterium in which recombination then takes place; sex hormone any of the (natural or synthetic) hormones that affect sexual development or behaviour, esp. those produced by the gonads; sex industry the commercial trade in sex and sexually stimulating materials, including prostitution, pornography, etc.; sex instinct the behaviour and feelings associated with sexual reproduction considered as an instinct for the survival of the species; sex kitten colloq. a young woman who provocatively asserts or exploits her sex appeal; sex life a person's sexual activities and relationships collectively; sex-limited adjective (a) = sex-linked (a) below; (b) designating or having a genetic character or a phenotype capable of occurring only in individuals of one sex; (c) = sex-linked (b) below; sex-linkage the state or condition of being sex-linked; sex-linked adjective (a) designating or determined by a gene that is carried on a sex chromosome; (b) occurring only or characteristically in one sex; sex maniac colloq. a person obsessed with sex or needing excessive sexual gratification; sex object a person regarded mainly in terms of sexual attractiveness or as providing sexual gratification; sex offence a breach of law involving sexual assault or having a sexual motive; sex-offender a person guilty of a sex offence; sexpot colloq. a person, esp. a woman, who is very sexually attractive or active; sex-reversal adoption of a form or role characteristic of the opposite sex; sex role = SEXUAL role; sex shop a shop selling sex magazines, sex aids, etc.; sex-starved adjective deprived of or lacking sexual gratification; sex surrogate a person employed as a sexual partner for a person undergoing therapy for sexual problems; sex symbol (a) a person, esp. an actor, musician, etc., widely noted for sex appeal and glamour; (b) a symbol with a sexual signification; sex therapist a practitioner of sex therapy; sex therapy therapy dealing with a person's psychological impediments to sexual intercourse or with other sexual problems; sex tourism the organization of holidays with the purpose of taking advantage of the lack of restrictions imposed on sexual activity and prostitution by some countries; sex-typed adjective (Sociology & Psychology) typified as being characteristic of either the male or the female sex; sex typing Sociology & Psychology stereotyping people according to the characteristics or behaviour considered typical of their sex; sex worker a worker in the sex industry.
b. attrib. or as adjective. Of or pertaining to sex or sexual activity; arising from a difference or consciousness of sex. L19.
sex aid, sex antagonism, sex education, sex film, sex partner, sex urge, sex war, etc.
? Sex when used attributively is now freq. synonymous with sexual.