Key terms & definitions

The thick, solid-rich material that settles at the bottom of a sedimentation tank.

The solid-rich material that settles at the bottom of a sewage settlement tank.

The constitutional convention that Westminster will not normally legislate on devolved matters without the consent of the relevant devolved legislature.

Joining or decorating textile material by making stitches with a needle and thread, by hand or machine.

A biological characteristic associated with differences in typical muscle mass and body-fat percentage, which can affect optimum body weight.

Having a sexual relationship before being married; also called premarital sex.

One of the chromosomes involved in determining biological sex; in humans these are X and Y.

A chromosome belonging to the pair that carries genes determining biological sex. In the human inheritance model, females have XX and males have XY.

Unfair treatment because someone is male or female, such as refusing a qualified woman a job because of her sex.

Unfair treatment based on sex or gender.

Fair and equal treatment regardless of sex or gender.

Unequal treatment of people because of their sex or gender.

Fair and equal treatment of people regardless of their biological sex or gender.

Prejudice or discrimination based on sex.

Prejudice or discrimination based on a person’s sex or gender.

Prejudice or discrimination based on a person’s sex.

Prejudice or discrimination based on a person's sex.

Prejudice or discrimination based on sex or gender, often involving beliefs that one sex is superior to the other.

Inheritance in which a gene responsible for a characteristic is located on a sex chromosome, usually the X chromosome in the GCSE examples studied.

An offence involving sexual behaviour that violates consent or laws protecting children, such as rape or sexual assault.

An unequal judgement of similar sexual behaviour, such as excusing a man’s affair while condemning the woman involved.

Judging comparable behaviour differently according to whether a woman or a man performs it.

Unequal judgement of similar sexual behaviour, particularly when girls or women are condemned for behaviour that brings boys or men status.

Remaining sexually faithful to a partner.

Language with an indirect sexual meaning, often used for comedy.

A person’s sexual orientation: their sexual or romantic attraction to others, for example heterosexual, gay, lesbian or bisexual.

Love or attraction involving physical desire and sexual intimacy.

An infectious disease passed between people through sexual contact.

An infection transmitted mainly through sexual contact.

An infection that can be passed between people through sexual contact.