sex symbol
See also: Sexsymbol and sex-symbol
English
Etymology
1871 used in Anthropology, first applied to a person in 1959 (Marilyn Monroe).[1]
Pronunciation
Audio (US): (file)
Noun
sex symbol (plural sex symbols)
- A person who embodies the sexual ideals of a mass audience.
- In the 50's and 60's Marilyn Monroe was considered a sex symbol.
Descendants
- → Catalan: sex symbol
- → French: sex-symbol
- → Portuguese: sex symbol
- → Spanish: sex symbol
Translations
person who embodies sexual ideals
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References
- ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “sex”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Catalan
Alternative forms
Etymology
Borrowed from English sex symbol.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): (Central) [ˌsɛkˈsim.bul]
- IPA(key): (Balearic) [ˌsɛkˈsim.bol]
- IPA(key): (Valencia) [ˌsekˈsim.bol][1]
Noun
sex symbol m or f by sense (plural sex symbols)
- sex symbol (person who embodies sexual ideals)
- 2020 August 18, Laia Beltran, “24 hores en pijama [24 hours in pajamas]”, in Ara[1]:
- Elles ja no necessitaven enfundar-se en les sensuals camisoles de setí que havien fet de Jean Harlow tot una sex symbol als anys 30 o en els conjunts baby doll que dues dècades més tard va popularitzar Carroll Baker.
- They no longer needed to put on the sensual satin shirts that had made Jean Harlow a total sex symbol in the 30s or in the baby doll ensembles that two decades later popularized Carroll Baker.
References
Further reading
- “sex-symbol” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
Portuguese
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from English sex symbol.
Noun
sex symbol m or f by sense (plural sex symbols)
- sex symbol (person who embodies sexual ideals)
Spanish
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from English sex symbol.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˌseɡs ˈsimbol/ [ˌseɣ̞s ˈsĩm.bol]
Noun
sex symbol m or f by sense (plural sex symbols)
- sex symbol
- Synonym: (adapted) símbolo sexual
Usage notes
According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.
Further reading
- “sex symbol”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 10 December 2024