Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Sexual activity, especially sexual intercourse.
  • noun The sexual urge or instinct as it manifests itself in behavior.
  • noun Either of the two divisions, designated female and male, by which most organisms are classified on the basis of their reproductive organs and functions.
  • noun The fact or condition of existing in these two divisions, especially the collection of characteristics that distinguish female and male.
  • noun Females or males considered as a group.
  • noun One's identity as either female or male.
  • noun The genitals.
  • transitive verb To determine the sex of (an organism).
  • transitive verb To arouse sexually. Often used with up.
  • transitive verb To increase the appeal or attractiveness of. Often used with up.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The character of being either male or female; the anatomical and physiological distinction between male and female, evidenced by the physical character of their generative organs, and the part taken by each in the function of reproduction; gender, with reference to living organisms.
  • noun Either one of the two kinds of beings, male and female, which are distinguished by sex; males or females, collectively considered and contrasted.
  • noun Especially, the female sex; womankind, by way of emphasis: generally with the definite article.
  • noun In botany, the character or structure of plants which corresponds to sex in animals, there being, except in the lowest orders, a clear differentiation of male and female elements.
  • noun the female sex collectively; womankind.
  • To ascertain the sex of (a specimen of natural history); mark or label as male or female.
  • noun An obsolete or dialectal form of six.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The distinguishing peculiarity of male or female in both animals and plants; the physical difference between male and female; the assemblage of properties or qualities by which male is distinguished from female.
  • noun One of the two divisions of organic beings formed on the distinction of male and female.
  • noun The capability in plants of fertilizing or of being fertilized.
  • noun One of the groups founded on this distinction.
  • noun the female sex; women, in general.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun countable Either of two main divisions (either female or male) into which many organisms can be placed, according to reproductive function or organs.
  • noun uncountable The distinguishing property, quality, or assemblage of properties by which organisms are classified as female or male on the basis of their reproductive organs and functions; the set of properties by which male is distinguished from female.
  • noun uncountable Sexual intercourse; the act of sexual intercourse.
  • noun euphemistic Genitalia; a penis or vagina.
  • noun obsolete Women; womankind.
  • verb zoology To determine the biological sex of an animal.
  • verb colloquial To have sex with.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun either of the two categories (male or female) into which most organisms are divided
  • noun the properties that distinguish organisms on the basis of their reproductive roles
  • noun activities associated with sexual intercourse
  • verb stimulate sexually
  • verb tell the sex (of young chickens)
  • noun all of the feelings resulting from the urge to gratify sexual impulses

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Latin sexus.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English sexe, from Old French sexe, from Latin sexus ("gender"). Thought to be connected with Latin seco, secare ("divide, cut") by the concept of division, or 'half' of the race. Akin to section. Meaning "sexual intercourse" first attested 1929 (in writings of D.H. Lawrence).

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Examples

  • If the immutable character of sex is contested, perhaps this construct called ˜sex™ is as culturally constructed as gender; indeed, perhaps it was always already gender, with the consequence that the distinction between sex and gender turns out to be no distinction at all.

    Feminist Perspectives on Sex and Gender Mikkola, Mari 2008

  • Lani say: I don't love sex@ carmically sex is quite cool.

    evolver Diary Entry evolver 2004

  • The venereal diseases are passed on from one sex to the other in a continuous chain, but the chain can be broken at any time _by either sex_.

    Safe Marriage A Return to Sanity Ettie A. Rout 1899

  • It is only the man whose intellect is clouded by his sexual instinct that could give that stunted, narrow-shouldered, broad-hipped, and short-legged race the name of _the fair sex_; for the entire beauty of the sex is based on this instinct.

    Essays of Schopenhauer Arthur Schopenhauer 1824

  • Because if sex was involuntary then it was not ’sex’ but rape.

    January Comments of the Month « Gender Across Borders 2010

  • February 18, 2009 at 12:26 pm 1. Internet Pornography 2. Illegal downloading of music 3. Ignorance 4. Myself 5. Depression (well mostly, still working on it, seems to take a different form these days) 6. The Devil (still working on him too lol) 7. Loneliness 8. Pre-marital sex 9. Internet ’sex’ and ‘relationships’ (don’t ask)

    10 things we don't mention in worship songs, but that I'm happy God saved me from. - 22 Words 2008

  • In fact, whenever she was forced to say the word sex or anything pertaining to it, she put it in verbal quotes and wrinkled her nose.

    The Dark Side of Innocence Terri Cheney 2011

  • I do wish he'd get over the constant-sex thing, because, number one, sex is private and he doesn't need to share, and, number two, not everyone engages in sex as it's messy, and, as I've been told, may involve nudity.

    Can Alien Invaders Really Learn our Languages from Radio? nissa_amas_katoj 2009

  • The sooner we stop using the expression "sex crimes", the sooner will we be able to address the stark fact that these are acts of violence which hijack the sexual organs for the purpose of the humiliation and violation.

    Letters: Sex and violence 2011

  • In fact, whenever she was forced to say the word sex or anything pertaining to it, she put it in verbal quotes and wrinkled her nose.

    The Dark Side of Innocence Terri Cheney 2011

Comments

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  • what else is in the teaches of peaches?

    Like sex on the beach is

    December 6, 2006

  • "I remember the first time I had sex - I kept the receipt."

    - Groucho Marx.

    December 24, 2007

  • Excellent: that one was new to me!

    December 24, 2007

  • Weirdnet is trying to avoid the definition:

    Sex: activities associated with sexual intercourse

    Then you look for

    Sexual: of or relating to or characterized by sexuality

    And the next step, of course, is

    Sexuality: a property having to do with the functioning of the body

    Hence,

    Sex: "activities associated with the intercourse relating to a property having to do with the functioning of the body".

    November 29, 2008

  • Means "six" in Swedish.

    July 13, 2009

  • Sex euphemisms.

    December 14, 2009

  • A word worth $14 million.

    March 19, 2010