Ambisexuality

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The state of experiencing romantic or sexual attraction toward both male and female sexes or genders
2. A condition characterized by feelings of attraction to people of two distinct sexes or genders
3. The tendency to be romantically or sexually drawn to individuals of either biological sex or gender identity

Etymology: Ambisexuality is a compound built from "ambi-", a Latin-derived prefix meaning "both" or "on both sides," joined to "sexual" and the suffix "-ity," which turns an adjective into a noun for a state or quality. Put together, the parts describe a condition of being sexually oriented toward both sexes. The word follows a common pattern in English. Writers have long combined "ambi-" with an adjective to name a state of being on both sides, as in "ambidextrous," which describes equal skill with both hands. "Ambisexual" takes that same pattern and applies it to sexual attraction, and "ambisexuality" is its abstract noun form. Because the word is a transparent combination of familiar parts, its meaning is clear from its construction alone.