What does sexually mean?
Sexually is an adverb meaning “in a way relating to sex, sexual desire, sexual activity, or sexual characteristics.” It is the standard way to modify an adjective or verb when the connection is to sex or sexual behavior. For example, a description can be sexually explicit or suggestive, while a biologist may refer to sexually dimorphic species. The word is usually neutral rather than itself improper, although its effect depends on context: medical and educational writing can sound clinical, and descriptions of intimacy can be sensitive or graphic. Sexually is also more precise than vague alternatives when discussing attraction, orientation, reproduction, or the conduct of an encounter. It belongs to a broad family of terms derived from the Latin sexualis, “pertaining to sex.” Its usefulness comes from allowing writers to specify exactly what is sexual without turning the sentence into a euphemism or an explicit description.
adverbIn a way relating to sex, sexual desire, sexual activity, or sexual characteristics.
- In a way relating to sex, desire, activity, or characteristics.
"The advertisement was banned because it was sexually explicit."
"The advertisement was banned because it was sexually explicit."
"The study compares sexually dimorphic species found in different habitats."
The same adverb can describe a scene, a species, and a transmission route.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sexually come from?
The adverb is formed in English by adding the suffix -ly to the adjective sexual. Sexual was borrowed from Latin sexualis, meaning “pertaining to sex,” which was based on sexus, “sex” or “nature.” The related English forms include sex, sexuality, sexology, and sexualize, while comparable Latin-derived forms appear in languages such as French and Spanish.
How sexually is actually used
Generally neutral and widely used, including in formal, scientific, medical, and educational contexts. Its effect can vary: it may sound clinical in technical writing, while descriptions of intimacy or sexual behavior may be sensitive or explicit depending on the surrounding context.