sodomite

Meanings

1. 1nouncountableoffensiveold-fashioned

   An insulting, outdated word for a man who has sex with other men, found in old religious and legal writing.

   Grammar: It is offensive and should not be used about a person; it appears mainly when quoting or discussing history.

   Patterns

   • a sodomite

   Historians note that the word sodomite appears in many old law codes.

   The term sodomite is now regarded as a slur and is avoided in respectful speech.

   Some translations of old texts use sodomite where newer ones use other wording.

2. 2nouncountablereligionrare

   A person from the biblical city of Sodom; used only in historical or religious discussion.

   Grammar: This is a rare, historical use.

   Patterns

   • the sodomites of Sodom

   The story describes the men of Sodom, sometimes called sodomites in old translations.

   Scholars debate who the sodomites of the story were.

   Older commentaries speak of the sodomites and their fate.

Word forms

Common combinations

term sodomite

The term sodomite is considered offensive today.

historical term

Sodomite is a historical term in old legal texts.

biblical sodomites

The lecture covered the biblical sodomites.

word sodomite

The word sodomite appears in older translations.

Synonyms and how they differ

homosexual

Homosexual is a clinical, neutral word, though many now prefer gay, while sodomite is an insulting old term.

gay

Gay is the usual respectful word today and carries no insult as sodomite does.

Word family

sodomy noun

an old legal term for certain sexual acts

Sodom noun

a city in the Bible

sodomize verb

to commit sodomy, used in law

Commonly confused: sodomite or Sodom? sodomite or sodomy?

Practice

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