sapphic

1 of 2

adjective

sap·​phic ˈsa-fik 

1

capitalized : of or relating to the Greek lyric poet Sappho

2

: of, relating to, or consisting of a 4-line strophe made up of chiefly trochaic and dactylic feet

3

: lesbian sense 1

sapphic

2 of 2

noun

1

: a verse having the metrical pattern of one of the first three lines of a sapphic strophe

2

: a sapphic strophe

Did you know?

Sapphic and Greek Poet Sappho

The poet Sappho wrote poems of self-reflection but also of passion, some of it directed to the women attending the school she conducted on the Greek island of Lesbos around 600 B.C. Even though most of the poems survive only as fragments, they have been greatly admired for many centuries. They were written in an original rhythmical pattern, which has become known as sapphic verse. Later admirers, such as the Roman poets Catullus and Horace, honored her by adopting the sapphic meter for their own poetry. Because of Sappho, the island of Lesbos also gave its name to lesbianism, which writers often used to call sapphic love.

Examples of sapphic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

If the scene of Kathryn Hahn choking Aubrey Plaza didn’t already put you in a sapphic stranglehold, rest assured some very gay things seem bound to happen on the Disney+ WandaVision spinoff. —James Factora, Them, 27 Sep. 2024

This year’s VMAs win marks a special milestone in the sapphic pop star’s career, as this is her first-ever win at a significant music awards ceremony. —Quispe López, Them, 12 Sep. 2024

Noun

As long as online spaces have existed, lesbians have been using the internet to find each other, share information, and connect with like-minded sapphics. —Quispe López, Them, 1 Aug. 2024

And because sapphics in Sofia only have two days of dedicated space per week, things are known to get pretty wild. —Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1501, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

sapphic

adjective or noun

sap·​phic ˈsaf-ik 

: lesbian