attraction to or sexual relations with a person or persons of the opposite sex
Compare homosexuality
heterosexuality in American English
(ˌhetərəˌsekʃuːˈælɪti, esp Brit -ˌseksjuː-)
noun
sexual feeling or behavior directed toward a person or persons of the opposite sex
Word origin
[1895–1900; hetero- + sexuality]This word is first recorded in the period 1895–1900. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: backwind, calling card, freewheel, hit-and-run, neonhetero- is a combining form meaning “different,” “other,” used in the formation of compoundwords. Other words that use the affix hetero- include: heterochromatic, heterochrony, heterodyne, heterogony, heterography