English → Latin
“sex” in Latin
sexusdivision; sex; genderpactuman agreement, bargain, pact; a means, manner, method, considerationmuliera woman, female; a wife; a coward, poltroon
The English word sex itself goes back to Latin secō, through sexus.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
sex
sexus, -ūs. The male sex sexus virilis: the female sex, sexus muliebris; sexus femineus (Suet., Calig.); genus femineum (Verg.); mulieres, plur., (Plaut.). Children of both sexes, liberi utnusque sexus (Suet.); liberi virilis ac muliebris sexus omnes (after Liv., 31, 44, 4). Without any distinction of sex, sine ullo sexus discrimine (Suet., Cal., 3). To forget their sex (of a woman), sexum egredi (Tac.). To make separate baths for the two sexes, lavacra pro sexibus separare (Spart., Hadr., 18, fin.).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for sex?
- The usual Latin words for “sex” are sexus, pactum, mulier. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.