sex

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 [U,C] the state of being male or female SYNGENDER: How can you tell what sex a fish is? * a process that allows couples to choose the sex of their baby * Please indicate your sex and date of birth below. * sex discrimination (= the act of treating men and women differently in an unfair way) * Testosterone is the male sex hormone. 2 [C] either of the two groups that people, animals and plants are divided into according to their function of producing young: a member of the opposite sex * single sex schools / education * the battle of the sexes (= the competitive relationship that exists between men and women) seealsoFAIRSEX 3 [U] physical activity between two people in which they touch each other's sexual organs, and which may include SEXUALINTERCOURSE: It is illegal to have sex with a person under the age of 16. * gay sex * the sex act * a sex attack / crime * a sex shop (= one selling magazines, objects, etc. that are connected with sex) * sex education in schools * These drugs may affect your sex drive (= your interest in sex and the ability to have it). seealsoSAFESEX, SEXUALINTERCOURSE 4 (-sexed) (in adjectives) having the amount of sexual activity or desire mentioned: a highly-sexed woman verb [VN] (technical) to examine an animal in order to find out whether it is male or female