graysexual

See also: gray-sexual

English

Alternative forms

• gray-sexual
• greysexual, grey-sexual (UK)

Etymology

Blend of gray +‎ asexual, coined by user asexualityrocks in 2008 on the forums of the Asexual Visibility and Education Network about two years after the advent of gray-A and gray asexual.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌɡɹeɪˈsɛk.ʃuː.əl/, /ˌɡɹeɪˈsɛk.sjuː.əl/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌɡɹeɪˈsɛk.ʃu.əl/
• Rhymes: -ɛkʃuːəl
• Hyphenation: gray‧sex‧u‧al

Adjective

graysexual (not comparable)

1. (neologism) Intermediate between sexual and asexual; sometimes, but not usually, experiencing sexual attraction and desire.
   • 2013, M. M, "sex-pos", Post- (Brown University), Volume 14, Issue 13, 21 February 2013, page 7:

     But then I remember: the whole ethos of sex-positivity is predicated on a belief that everyone—sexual, asexual, or gray-sexual; monogamous, polyamorous, or something in-between; LGBTQ or as hetero as the Romneys—is entitled to pleasurable and safe sex.

   • 2014 February 19, Tess Banta, “The 'A' Stands for Asexual”, in The Amherst Student, volume 143, number 16, Amherst College, page 7:

     Some aces are gray-sexual (or gray-A), meaning that they fall somewhere on a spectrum between asexual and sexual.

   • 2014 June 18, Julie Sondra Decker, “How to Tell If You Are Asexual”, in Time:

     Do you feel sexual attraction sometimes, but only rarely? You may be graysexual,* and you’ll have a lot in common with asexual people if you are.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:graysexual.

   Synonyms: gray-A, gray asexual, gray ace

Related terms

• graysexuality

Noun

graysexual (plural graysexuals)

1. (neologism) A graysexual person.