Meaning & use
Gayness
Last updated
The state or quality of being homosexual, especially in reference to men.
See it in a sentence
The documentary explored how the author's gayness shaped his early writing.
He spoke openly about his gayness for the first time at the reunion.
A note on using this word
Before the mid-20th century, "gayness" more commonly meant cheerfulness or brightness; the word's dominant modern meaning shifted after "gay" became associated with homosexuality.
Words with a similar meaning
homosexuality
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
heterosexuality
Another way to use it
2. noun
The quality of being cheerful, carefree, or brightly colored (older or literary usage).
The garden's gayness of color lifted everyone's spirits.
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