Definition

1. Noun:
   • Communication or exchange between individuals or groups: "Intercourse" primarily refers to social interaction, communication, or dealings between people.
   • Sexual intercourse: The specific act of sexual union, typically involving penetration.

Usage and Examples

• Noun (Social/Verbal Exchange):

  • Daily intercourse with colleagues is essential for a harmonious workplace.
  • The treaty facilitated commercial intercourse between the two nations.
  • Friendly intercourse between neighbors strengthens community bonds.

• Noun (Sexual Act):

  • The doctor discussed safe practices for sexual intercourse.
  • The topic of intercourse is covered in the health education curriculum.

Advanced Usage and Notes

• "Social intercourse": A formal term for social interaction and communication within a society.
  • The club was a center for social intercourse and intellectual debate.
• "Sexual intercourse": The full, formal term for the sexual act. In many modern contexts, the word "intercourse" alone is understood to mean "sexual intercourse."
  • Consent is a fundamental requirement for any sexual intercourse.

Variants and Related Words

• Intercourse has no direct verb form. Related nouns include:
  • Communication: The imparting or exchanging of information.
  • Interaction: Reciprocal action or influence.
  • Coitus: A technical/biological synonym for sexual intercourse.

Synonyms

• For social exchange: Communication, interaction, dealings, commerce (archaic in this sense), correspondence.
• For sexual act: Coitus, copulation, sexual relations, sex.

Idioms and Fixed Phrases

• "Illicit intercourse": An old-fashioned or legal term for adultery or extramarital sex.
  • The law once punished illicit intercourse.
• "Carnal intercourse": A formal or literary term for sexual intercourse, emphasizing the physical aspect.
  • The text referred to the "carnal intercourse" between the characters.

Important Distinction

The meaning of "intercourse" is highly context-dependent. In general and older texts, it most commonly means social communication. In contemporary usage, especially without a modifying word like "social," it is overwhelmingly interpreted to mean sexual intercourse. Always consider the context carefully.

Noun

1. the act of sexual procreation between a man and a woman; the man's penis is inserted into the woman's vagina and excited until orgasm and ejaculation occur
2. communication between individuals