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Lesbian vs Mistress - What's the difference?

lesbian | mistress |

As nouns the difference between lesbian and mistress

is that lesbian is a native or inhabitant of lesbos while mistress is (archaic) used as the title of a married woman before her name now used only in the abbreviated form mrs .

As an adjective lesbian

is of or pertaining to the island of lesbos.

lesbian

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (of a woman) Homosexual; preferring female romantic or sexual partners.
  • She is lesbian .
  • (of a romantic or sexual act or relationship) Between two women; homosexual.
  • She's involved in a lesbian relationship.
    Lesbian marriage is still illegal in some nations.
  • * 2011 , Michael Bruce, ?Robert M. Stewart, College Sex - Philosophy for Everyone (ISBN 1444341448), page 32:
  • (especially of an institution or group) Intended for lesbians.
  • We're going to a lesbian bar tonight.
  • * 2000 , Bonnie Zimmerman, Encyclopedia of lesbian and gay histories and cultures , volume 1, page 135:
  • Some lesbians also felt comfortable in the entertainment clubs in the black section of the city; these clubs were not lesbian but were lesbian friendly.
  • * 2008 , Carl Abbott, How cities won the West: four centuries of urban change , page 283:
  • Openly gay poets such as Allen Ginsberg were prominent among the beats, and many North Beach bars were gay and lesbian as well as bohemian.

    Synonyms

    * , gay (preferred by some lesbians), homosexual (not specific to female homosexuality) * , gay (preferred by some lesbians), homosexual (not specific to female homosexuality)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A homosexual female, a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted to other women.
  • Synonyms

    * sapphist * (offensive) Amy-John, beaver eater, beanflicker, boondagger, bulldiker, bulldyker, carpet muncher, clam smacker, crack snacker, cunt-lapper, donut bumper, dyke, lesbianist, lezzer, lezzie, lezzo, rug muncher, scissor sister, todger dodger, vagitarian, clitorist * See also

    Hypernyms

    * LGBT * gay * homosexual * queer

    Derived terms

    * hasbian * wasbian

    See also

    *

    Anagrams

    * * ----

    mistress

    English

    Noun

    (es)
  • A woman, specifically one with great control, authority or ownership.
  • * , chapter=19
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=At the far end of the houses the head gardener stood waiting for his mistress , and he gave her strips of bass to tie up her nosegay. This she did slowly and laboriously, with knuckly old fingers that shook.}}
  • A female teacher.
  • A female partner in an extramarital relationship, generally including sexual relations.
  • A dominatrix.
  • * 2006 , Amelia May Kingston, The Triumph of Hope (page 376)
  • As part of BDSM play they can enhance the domineering tread of a mistress or hobble the steps of a slave.
  • A woman well skilled in anything, or having the mastery over it.
  • * Addison
  • A letter desires all young wives to make themselves mistresses of Wingate's Arithmetic.
  • A woman regarded with love and devotion; a sweetheart.
  • (Clarendon)
  • (Scotland) A married woman; a wife.
  • * Sir (Walter Scott)
  • Several of the neighbouring mistresses had assembled to witness the event of this memorable evening.
  • (obsolete) The jack in the game of bowls.
  • (Beaumont and Fletcher)
  • female companion to a master
  • Usage notes

    In the sexual sense, mistress is narrowly taken to mean a woman involved in a committed'' extramarital relationship (an affair), often supported financially (a kept woman). It is broadly taken to mean a woman involved in an extramarital relationship regardless of the level of commitment, but requires more than a single act of adultery. Tiger Woods Does Not Have 11 “Mistresses”: His many paramours aren’t committed enough to merit that term. by Jesse Sheidlower, '', Dec. 10, 2009.

    Synonyms

    * (woman with control, authority or ownership''): boss (''applicable to either sex''), head (''applicable to either sex''), leader (''applicable to either sex ) * (female teacher ): schoolmarm * (woman who displaces a wife in the affections of a man''): bit on the side (''applicable to either sex ), fancy woman, , goomah * See also

    Antonyms

    Male equivalents: * (woman with control, authority or ownership ): master * (female teacher ): master * (female partner in an extramarital affair ): cicisbeo, fancy man * (dominatrix ): master

    Derived terms

    * headmistress * mistresshood * mistresslike * mistressship * mistressy * wardrobe mistress

    References

    See also

    * miss * Mrs