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Heterosexual vs Demisexual - What's the difference?

heterosexual | demisexual |

As adjectives the difference between heterosexual and demisexual

is that heterosexual is sexually attracted to members of the opposite sex while demisexual is sexually attracted to people only after a strong emotional bond has been formed.

As nouns the difference between heterosexual and demisexual

is that heterosexual is a heterosexual person, or other heterosexual organism while demisexual is a person who is demisexual.

heterosexual

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (lb) Sexually attracted to members of the opposite sex.

    • Synonyms

    * (sexually attracted to members of the opposite sex) (l), (l),

    Hyponyms

    * heteroflexible

    Coordinate terms

    * * heteroromantic

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A heterosexual person, or other heterosexual organism.

    • Synonyms

    * (heterosexual person) (l) (especially in the plural), (l), (l)

    Antonyms

    * homosexual

    demisexual

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (sexuality, of humans) Sexually attracted to people only after a strong emotional bond has been formed.
  • * 2010 , Sophie Gamwell, " Asexuality", BoLT , Issue 1, April 2010, page 14:
    • Some people may identify as asexual for a period and then decide that they are in fact demisexual , or even sexual.
  • * 2013 , Tracey Hickey, " Asexuality should be recognized as a legitimate sexual orientation", The Pitt News (University of Pittsburgh), 14 February 2013:
    • Some think of themselves as demisexual , only able to feel attraction when a very strong emotional bond already exists.
  • * 2013 , C. J. Bishop, " A mystery wrapped in an enigma – asexuality: a virtual discussion", Psychology & Sexuality , Volume 4, Issue 2, March 2013, page 205 (quoting A. C. Hinderliter):
    • In asexual / ace communities in the past few years, there has been an enormous increase in prominence of people identifying as gray-A and as demisexual , with ‘ace’ now sometimes being used as an umbrella term.
  • *

    • Synonyms

    * (l) (colloquial)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person who is demisexual.
  • * 2011 , Mark Carrigan, " There’s more to life than sex? Difference and commonality within the asexual community", Sexualities , Volume 14, Number 4, August 2011, page 470:
    • Demisexuals experience sexual attraction as a consequence of romantic attraction but not independently of it.
  • * 2011 , Holly Combs, " Labeling sexuality is not simple", The Maroon (Loyola University New Orleans), Volume 90, Number 10, 11 November 2011, page 6:
    • Demisexuals' experience sexual desire only toward people with whom they already have a strong emotional bond. Like an asexual, a '''demisexual''' would not see an attractive woman and immediately desire sex, unless, of course, that attractive woman happened to be in a serious emotional relationship with the ' demisexual .
  • * 2013 , Whitney Cyr, " Students ‘come out’ and inspire with stories", The Equinox (Keene State College), 24 April 2013:
    • Rines identified himself as a demisexual , meaning that he is only sexually attracted to a person once a strong emotional attachment has been formed.
  • *

    • Synonyms

    * (l) (colloquial)