sexology: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Academic, Technical, Clinical
Quick answer
What does “sexology” mean?
The scientific study of human sexuality, including sexual behaviours, relationships, attitudes, and their psychological, biological, and social aspects.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The scientific study of human sexuality, including sexual behaviours, relationships, attitudes, and their psychological, biological, and social aspects.
The interdisciplinary field encompassing the research, education, and clinical practice related to human sexual function, relationships, and dysfunctions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; the field is identically named. Cultural differences may exist in specific areas of focus (e.g., public health approaches, specific therapeutic models) but the core term is the same.
Connotations
Neutral and scientific in both varieties. The term has no region-specific colloquial overtones.
Frequency
Low frequency in general discourse in both regions, but equal frequency within medical, psychological, and sociological academic/professional contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “sexology” in a Sentence
N is the subject/object of studyN + researcher/therapist/clinicianspecialise in + NVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sexology” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She decided to train and sexology after her psychology degree.
- The university has begun to sexology as a distinct discipline.
American English
- He plans to sexology after completing his medical residency.
- Few institutions formally sexology at the undergraduate level.
adverb
British English
- The phenomenon was analysed sexologically.
- He approached the topic sexologically, not anecdotally.
American English
- The therapist is trained to think sexologically about relationships.
- The data was interpreted sexologically.
adjective
British English
- A sexological perspective was crucial to the case.
- The sexology conference attracted international experts.
American English
- She sought a sexological evaluation.
- The sexology literature has expanded rapidly.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually unused, except in the context of publishing, specialised training, or healthcare service provision.
Academic
Primary context of use. Found in university course titles, journal names, and conference themes in psychology, medicine, and sociology departments.
Everyday
Extremely rare. May be misunderstood or cause embarrassment due to confusion with the base word 'sex'.
Technical
Standard term in medical, therapeutic, counselling, and public health fields dealing with sexual health and relationships.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sexology”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sexology”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sexology”
- Confusing 'sexology' (the science) with 'sex education' (the teaching of information).
- Using it in informal contexts where it sounds overly technical or pretentious.
- Misspelling as 'sexology' (single 's').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A sexologist is a specialist in the science of sexology. They may be researchers or educators. A 'sex therapist' is a clinician (often a psychologist, counsellor, or doctor) who uses this knowledge to treat clients with sexual concerns. Many sex therapists have training in sexology.
Sexology is an academic and clinical scientific field. Pornography is a genre of media designed to sexually arouse. They are fundamentally different in purpose, content, and context.
Yes. Many universities, particularly in North America and Europe, offer master's and doctoral degrees in sexology, human sexuality, or sexual health studies, often within faculties of medicine, psychology, or public health.
No. While clinical sexology addresses dysfunctions, the field is much broader. It includes the study of healthy sexual development, relationships, sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual pleasure, cultural and historical aspects of sexuality, and sexual education.
The scientific study of human sexuality, including sexual behaviours, relationships, attitudes, and their psychological, biological, and social aspects.
Sexology is usually academic, technical, clinical in register.
Sexology: in British English it is pronounced /sekˈsɒlədʒi/, and in American English it is pronounced /sekˈsɑːlədʒi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms directly with 'sexology']”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Sex' + '-ology' (the study of). It's the 'biology' or 'psychology' of sex.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE/SCIENCE IS A LENS (to study sexuality), SEXUALITY IS A TERRITORY (to be mapped by science).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'sexology' MOST appropriately used?