asexual

Etymology

From a- (“lacking, without”) + -sexual.

adj

1. Nonsexual in nature, unmarked by sexual activity.
   Coordinate term: platonic
   The central paradox of Linton's writing was her inability, or unwillingness, to imagine an asexual friendship between women. 2004, Martha Vicinus, Intimate Friends: women who loved women, 1778-1928, page 150
2. (especially of a person) Not experiencing sexual attraction; lacking interest in or desire for sex.
   Many asexual people experience attraction, but feel no need to act out that attraction sexually. Because they don't see a lack of sexual arousal as a problem to be corrected, asexual people focus their energy on enjoying other types of arousal and pleasure. 2010, Jerrold S. Greenberg, Clint E. Bruess, Sarah C. Conklin, Exploring the Dimensions of Human Sexuality, fourth edition, pages 357-358
   Benoit is determined to ensure other asexual (or “ace”) people don’t feel broken or alone in a world in which lust and desire pulsate through our entire culture. 2021-03-21, Jamie Waters, “‘I don’t want sex with anyone’: the growing asexuality movement”, in The Observer
3. (biology) Lacking distinct sex, lacking sexual organs.
4. (biology) Without sexual action; reproducing by some other method than sex.
   asexual reproduction

noun

1. (biology) A species which reproduces by asexual rather than sexual reproduction, or a member of such a species.
   11.2 Demonstrating the Status of Long-Lived Asexuals … Indeed, if sex has so many advantages, then which special adaptations - if any - allow long-term survival without it? However, the main task of the research teams dealing with such putative ancient asexuals has thus far been to demonstrate that their respective groups (mainly bdelloids, darwinulids and certain lineages within orbatid mites) indeed merit the status. 2009, Isa Schön, Giampaolo Rossetti, Koen Martens, Darwinulid Ostracods: Ancient Asexual Scandals or Scandalous Gossip?, published as Chapter 11 of Lost Sex: The Evolutionary Biology of Parthenogenesis, Isa Schön, Koen Martens, Peter van Dijk (editors), page 221
2. A person who does not experience sexual attraction; a person who lacks interest in or desire for sex.
3. (rare) Something which does not have a sex, or a word which refers to such a thing.
   […] The masculine forms are used to a considerable extent in congruence with etymologically masculine nouns; also with etymologically feminine asexuals; e.g. se stefn L 9, 36; … The neuter forms are used with etymologically neuter nouns; with etymologically masculine asexuals; e.g. þ cyrtil L 6, 29; J 19, 23; þ penning L 20, 24; bēam (Lindelof p. 9) ; stān (Lindelof p. 11); and with etymologically feminine asexuals; e.g. … 1936, The Journal of English and Germanic Philology, volume 35, page 323