Sapphisms

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Expressions or acts of love or sexual relationships between women; a term derived from the poetry of Sappho, denoting female homoeroticism; often used in historical or literary contexts to describe intimate bonds among women
2. A reference to same-sex romantic or sexual interactions between women, inspired by the works of the ancient poet Sappho; signifies both emotional and physical connections; highlighted in discussions around LGBTQ+ identities and literature
3. Denoting romantic and sexual feelings between women, originating from the lyrical poetry of Sappho; encapsulates both passionate love and platonic friendship; frequently explored in feminist and queer literature

Etymology: Sappho was a poet from the island of Lesbos who wrote in the late seventh and early sixth centuries BCE. Only fragments of her work survive, and ancient writers praised her so highly that Plato reportedly called her the tenth Muse. Her poems address women and girls in intense, emotional language, and later readers built a sexual reading on that foundation. Scholars still debate how much of it the fragments support. The noun is a modern coinage, built on her name in the late nineteenth century, when sexologists and writers needed terms for desire between women. It was used in that period's medical and literary writing on sexuality, including works by John Addington Symonds and Havelock Ellis. Unlike terms drawn from a place, it ties the category to a single poet, so the label carries the weight of a particular author's reputation.

Synonyms: verses, poems, lines, stanzas, lyrics