Sexuality is the aspect of life relating to sexual feelings, orientations, and behaviors within individuals and societies. It encompasses identity, attraction, and expression, including cultural, biological, and psychological dimensions. The term is used across clinical, educational, and sociocultural contexts to discuss human sexuality and its expressions, norms, and rights.
"Her sexuality is an important part of her identity and how she relates to others."
"The course explores the ethics and science of sexuality across different cultures."
"Public health programs often address sexuality to promote safe and informed choices."
"Media representations of sexuality influence attitudes toward relationships and gender."
Sexuality derives from the Latin word sexualis, meaning ‘pertaining to sex,’ which itself comes from sexus, meaning ‘sex, sexual union.’ The root sex- traces to Proto-Indo-European *seks-, meaning ‘to cut, divide,’ a metaphorical extension tied to mating and separation. In late Latin and Old French usage, sexualité appeared, eventually entering English in the modern era as sexuality to denote the quality or state of being sexual. The term broadened from strictly biological connotations to include identities, orientations, and cultural expressions of sex. Over centuries, sexuality expanded to cover psychological, social, and political dimensions, especially with 20th-century movements toward sexual rights, education, and gender studies. First known uses appear in scholarly and medical discourses, with broader public uptake from the mid-20th century onward as sexuality became a central topic in sociology, anthropology, and gender theory.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Sexuality" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Sexuality"
-ity sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronunciation: /ˌsek.juˈæl.ɪ.ti/ (US/UK/AU share the same core). Primary stress lands on the fourth syllable: al.ion-wise, sex-u-AL-i-ty. Start with /ˈsɛk/ (or /ˈsek/ in some accents), then /jʊ/ or /ju/ as a light y-glide, followed by /ˈæl/ with an open front jaw position, then /ɪ/ and finally /ti/ with a clear t release. Mouth position: lips neutral to slight spread, tongue high-mid for /e/ and /eɪ/ components, tip of the tongue near the ridge for /t/. Audio reference: you’ll hear the natural rhythm in pronunciation videos and dictionaries; I recommend listening to Cambridge/Forvo recordings for a native feel.
Common errors: 1) Dropping the middle /j/ glide, producing sek-wal-ity instead of sek-yu-AL-ity. 2) Misplacing stress on the first or second syllable (sex-u-AL-ity vs. SEK-yu-AL-i-ty); ensure primary stress on AL- (the fourth syllable). 3) Confusing /æ/ with /ɛ/ in /ælv/; keep /æ/ in the /æl/ sequence, not a broader /ɛ/. Correction tips: rehearse the sequence as sex- yu- al- i- ty with a clear y-glide, and practice the steady, non-scorched /l/ light touch before /ɪ/ and /ti/. Use minimal pairs and record yourself to check the glide and stress.
US: /ˌsɛk.juˈæl.ɪ.ti/, rhoticity not affecting this word much; /j/ as a clear y-glide, primary stress on AL- syllable. UK: /ˌsek.juˈæl.ɪ.ti/ with slightly crisper /t/ and less overt rhotic accent on adjacent syllables; AU: /ˌsek.juˈæl.ɪ.ti/ similar to US but with a more rounded vowel quality in /e/ and a lighter /t/. All share the same core segments; differences are in vowel quality and consonant release—US tends to be a bit more lax in final syllables, UK slightly tighter enunciation, AU often more clipped in rapid speech.
Difficulty comes from the multi-syllable structure and the consecutive vowels /ju/ and /æ/. The sequence sex-yu-al-i-ty requires precise articulation of the /j/ glide before a back/low-front transition to /æ/. The second half /æl.ɪ.ti/ involves a clear /l/ followed by a light /i/ and final /ti/ with crisp voicing. Misplacing stress or flattening the /y/ glide can distort the rhythm. Focus on the /ju/ as a separate syllable and keep the /æ/ tense before the /l/.
There are no silent letters in sexuality. Each syllable carries audible phonemes: /ˌsɛk.juˈæl.ɪ.ti/. The tricky part is the /ju/ sequence where the /j/ acts as a consonant-y glide transitioning into the /u/ vowel—practice the glide as a brief, soft y-sound before the vowel. Remember to articulate the /t/ at the end clearly, rather than letting it blend into a dull /ɪ/.
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