Origins of the Word “Lesbian” 

B2 – Upper Intermediate

“Etymology” is derived from the Greek word etumos which means “true”. It is the study of the origin of words and how its meaning has changed over time. There are so many fascinating histories of words. One of them is the word “lesbian”.

In ancient Greece, Sappho was a revered singer and erotic poets. She often wrote songs about love, passion, and longing. Coincidentally, Sappho was from Lesbos and people from there were called “Lesbian”.

Watch the video and know more about the surprising origins of the word “lesbian”.

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does the verb “enrapture” mean? “More than 2,500 years ago, one of ancient Greece’s most celebrated pop stars and erotic poets enraptured listeners.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘enrapture’ in your own sentence.
2. Define the word “licentiousness“. “One 2nd century Christian leader called Sappho ‘a whore who sang about her own licentiousness.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘licentiousness’ in your own sentence.
3. What does the idiom “to reach across time” mean? “Sappho’s words reach across time and resonate today.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘to reach across time’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. Share your thoughts on Sappho’s story.
2. Share your opinion about how only fragments of Sappho’s works survived.
3. What were the gender and social inequalities in ancient Greece? And how does this compare to modern times?
4. Talk about a famous person from your country and their works that have endured the test of time.
5. Talk about an etymology of a word or phrase that you find rather interesting and explain why you thought this was amusing.