sapphic

adj

1. (not-comparable)Relating to the Greek poetess Sappho from Lesbos or her poetry.
2. (not-comparable)Of a certain kind of verse reputed to have been invented by Sappho, consisting of five metrical feet, of which the first, fourth, and fifth are trochees, the second is a spondee, and the third a dactyl.
3. (alt-of, not-comparable)Alternative letter-case form of sapphic.
4. (not-comparable)Lesbian, relating to lesbianism, or (broadly) to women who are attracted (not necessarily exclusively) to women.

   “Clinton and I became peripherally involved with a pair of Leckford Road girls who, principally sapphic in their interests, would arrange for sessions of group frolic.”

   “[...] and rumor had it that the Margo—Eve relationship was inspired by the bisexual Bankhead and her Skin of Our Teeth understudy [...] (The 1947 film version teamed Humphrey Bogart with sapphic stars Barbara Stanwyck and Alexis Smith.)”

   “Her lyrics are deeply personal and wide reaching and she weaves in indignation at the state of American politics while simultaneously exploring her identity as a black sapphic [pansexual] woman.”

   “Perhaps the queer, unnatural, and possibly disturbing conjunctions of the trans and nonbinary sapphic can help to do just that.”

noun

1. A Sapphic verse.

   “His Sapphics, on the story of Bacchus and Ariadne, are easy, elegant, and poetical.”

   “The first line (which goes by the name of Aristophanes) is a Sapphic without the initial trochees.”

   “"A real Sapphic," said Crane, dropping into a poetical tone, as an elocutionist does when he is hungry for an opportunity to recite a favorite sketch.”

2. A person who is sapphic.

   “'Very good,” he said, 'although I must confess that the older I get, the less I am able to enjoy the company of women – except of course our own dear Enid who is so notorious a Sapphic as to be virtually hors concours.”

   “There are many of us (yes, even in Utah) who are more style-conscious, socially involved and culturally aware Sapphics than the common opinion dictates.”

   “Are you a fan of hate-to-love? Roommates? Royalty romances? Geology puns? Sapphics? Her Royal Highness has all of this and more. After Millie discovers her best friend turned maybe girlfriend kissing someone else, she decides to flee […]”

3. (alt-of)Alternative letter-case form of Sapphic.

   “Though they will not satisfy Mr. T. S. Omond's rules of quantity, and cannot be expected to reach Swinburne's exquisite sense of its balance, they give far more idea of the rhythm of Sappho than the body of English sapphics by other writers.”

   “Statius, in the Silvae, does offer two “lyric” poems, one in alcaics and one in sapphics, but lyric poetry in any form and of any consequence does not recur until the Christian hymns of St. Ambrose and Prudentius, ...”

   “April 29: Thao & The Get Down Stay Down host local rock sapphics Kera & the Lesbians.”