Standard Lemma guide

desexualize

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To divest of sexual attributes; to render conceptually asexual.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

make infertile

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • in some countries, people with genetically transmissible disabilites are sterilized

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sterilize, sterilise, desex, unsex, desexualise, fix

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: operate on, operate

Narrower terms: alter, neuter, spay, castrate, emasculate, demasculinize, demasculinise, vasectomize, vasectomise

3

verb

Meaning 3

direct one's libidinous urges into another direction

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: desexualise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sublimate

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h1 Proto-Indo-European *déh1 Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin dē-der. English de- Proto-Indo-European *sek-der. Proto-Indo-European *séks-u-sder. Proto-Italic *seksus Proto-Indo-European *sek-der. Proto-Italic *sekaō Latin secō Latin secāre? Latin sexus Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin sexuālisbor. English sexual Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English sexualize English desexualize From de- + sexualize.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: entsexualisieren — to make conceptually asexual
  • Portuguese: dessexualizar — to make conceptually asexual
  • Swedish: avsexualisera — to make conceptually asexual