sexual activity incorporating various practices, including the use of a condom, that reduce the risk of spreading sexually transmitted diseases, esp. AIDS
See safe sex in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
Sexual activity in which safeguards, such as the use of a condom and the avoidance of high-risk acts, are employed to reduce the chance of acquiring or spreading a sexually transmitted disease.
Related Forms:
safeˈ-sexˈ(sāfˈsĕksˈ) adjective
Usage Note: To emphasize that the probability of acquiring or spreading a sexually transmitted disease is merely reduced and not eliminated when following recommended safeguards, some advocate the use of the term safer sex instead of safe sex.