demisexual

This term describes a specific orientation on the asexual spectrum. It characterizes a pattern of attraction where the catalyst for sexual desire is not physical or immediate, but rather the result of a pre-existing, significant emotional connection. This distinguishes it from allosexual orientations, where attraction can occur independently of an emotional bond.

In social and clinical contexts, the word is used as a neutral identity marker. It is important to distinguish demisexuality from a conscious choice to wait for an emotional bond (such as celibacy or abstinence); for a demisexual person, the lack of attraction is an innate experience rather than a behavioral decision.