Sexuels

Sexuels is the plural form of the French adjective sexuel, meaning relating to sex or sexuality. In English-language contexts, the form sexuels is not standard and would typically be treated as a French loanword; English writers usually use sexual or sexual reproduction. In French-language science, sexuel is used to describe traits, organs, and processes associated with sex.

In biology, the term is most often encountered in discussions of sexual reproduction, which combines genetic material from two parents. This process typically involves meiosis to produce gametes and fertilization that fuses gametes to form a zygote. Sexual reproduction introduces genetic variation, aiding adaptation, and contrasts with asexual reproduction, where offspring arise from a single cell or organism.

In plants, animals, and fungi, sexuel characteristics include reproductive organs, gamete production, and, in many species, secondary sexual characteristics that influence mating. Some organisms can shift between sexual and asexual modes depending on environmental conditions, life cycle stage, or population density.

In human contexts, sexuality encompasses biological, psychological, and social aspects of sexual life, including orientation, behavior, and identity. The term sexuel in French thus spans both anatomical and physiological meanings and broader social concepts related to sexuality.