adj
Common
LGBT
ehl-jee-bee-tee
LGBT (adj) means relating to or describing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people collectively. Example: “The city held its annual LGBT pride parade downtown.”
adj
1
Relating to or describing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people collectively.
"The city held its annual LGBT pride parade downtown."
"The school introduced new LGBT support resources for students."
noun
1
A member of the LGBT community.
"The panel included several LGBT activists."
How to use LGBT
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA common umbrella term and abbreviation covering lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender identities.
Common pairings
LGBT community
LGBT rights
LGBT pride
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like LGBT.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- LGBTs
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The city held its annual _____ pride parade downtown.
Etymology
An initialism for "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender," which grew out of the earlier abbreviation LGB and has been in use since the late 1980s.
Class of 1980
LGBT joined the language around 1980.
See the full Class of 1980 →
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “LGBT” mean?
The word “LGBT” means relating to or describing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people collectively. In plain terms, a common umbrella term and abbreviation covering lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender identities.
How do you pronounce “LGBT”?
“LGBT” is pronounced ehl-jee-bee-tee (/ɛl d͡ʒiː biː tiː/ in IPA).
How do you use “LGBT” in a sentence?
Here is “LGBT” used in a sentence: “The city held its annual LGBT pride parade downtown.”
What part of speech is “LGBT”?
Depending on how it is used, “LGBT” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “LGBT” come from?
The word “LGBT” dates back to around 1980. An initialism for "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender," which grew out of the earlier abbreviation LGB and has been in use since the late 1980s.
Is “LGBT” a common word?
“LGBT” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “LGBT” have?
“LGBT” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to or describing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people collectively.
What is the difference between LGBT and LGBTQ?
LGBT covers lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, while LGBTQ adds a Q for queer or questioning. Both initialisms refer to the same broad community, and longer forms such as LGBTQ+ or LGBTQIA+ extend the coverage further. Which form is preferred varies by organization and style guide.
Should you say 'LGBT people' or use LGBT as a noun?
LGBT works best as an adjective: 'LGBT people,' 'LGBT rights,' 'the LGBT community.' Dictionaries do record a noun use meaning a member of the LGBT community, but many style guides find noun forms like 'LGBTs' reductive, so the adjective phrasing is the safer choice.
Should LGBT be capitalized?
Yes. LGBT is an initialism, so all four letters are written in capitals. Lowercase 'lgbt' is nonstandard outside casual contexts such as hashtags or usernames.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include LGBT:
