What does sodomy mean?
“Sodomy” is a noun chiefly referring to sexual activity involving anal penetration, though in legal and historical contexts it can also serve as a broader label for conduct classified as unnatural or prohibited. The term is especially associated with statutes that criminalized particular sexual acts, including consensual same-sex relations; the precise legal meaning has varied across countries and historical periods. It is not a synonym for homosexuality, which describes attraction or orientation rather than a specific sexual act. In contemporary usage, “sodomy” is most often encountered in legal, political, or historical discussion, while more specific clinical or everyday terms may be used when describing sexual activity neutrally. Its history links it to the biblical city of Sodom and later Christian moral and legal traditions, from which it acquired associations with prohibited sexual conduct. The word remains important for understanding how legal systems have classified sexuality.
Sexual activity involving anal penetration.
"The report discusses the offence of sodomy in several jurisdictions."
The term is now most often legal, historical, or explicitly clinical rather than an ordinary everyday expression.
A legal or historical designation for sexual conduct classified as unnatural, criminal, or otherwise prohibited.
"The court reconsidered the statute under which sodomy had been punished."
This broader historical sense is variable and should not be treated as a precise definition of all sexual conduct between people of the same sex.
The plural is uncommon in general writing but occurs in legal, historical, and academic discussions.
"The history of sodomies and their criminalization varies considerably between societies."
The word “sodomy” has moved far beyond its biblical associations: in modern law, it has often been used to describe consensual same-sex intimacy.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sodomy come from?
The word entered English in the early 16th century, derived through Latin from Sodom, the biblical city associated in Genesis with sexual misconduct. Medieval and early modern writers used “sodomy” for sexual conduct regarded as unnatural or contrary to religious and legal norms. Over time, the term became especially prominent in legal statutes, where its scope depended on the laws of the particular jurisdiction.
How sodomy is actually used
Today, “sodomy” is mainly a legal or historical term rather than a neutral everyday description of sexual activity. Its meaning and legal application have varied considerably across jurisdictions, and historically it has often been used to criminalize consensual same-sex relations. In older writing, “unnatural sex” may be euphemistic or openly judgmental.
Easily confused with sodomy
Homosexuality is a term for sexual or romantic attraction to people of the same sex, whereas sodomy is a term for a sexual act involving anal penetration.
Bestiality specifically means sexual activity between a human and an animal, while sodomy refers to a type of sexual activity without that limitation.