以上诸多单词或词组均是法律语言中指违反自然的性行为的术语。首先是crime against nature，其含义最广，指所有刑法中规定禁止的有悖自然的性行为，包括肛交、口交、兽奸等[1]; 在普通法中，该术语包括：bestiality和sodomy两种含义。其中， bestiality主要指两性中任何一方与动物发生性交[2] ; sodomy则多指男人之间或两性之间的肛交，此时它可与buggery替换使 用；在美国它还可指口交，兽奸m。buggery多指从肛门进行性 交，即鸡奸，也可指用肛门或阴道与动物发生性交[4]。pederasty 则指一成年男人与一男童进行肛交，此种行为在美国各州均被视为非法[5]。
    
[1] "Deviate sexual intercourse per os or per anum between human beings who are not husband and wife and any form of sexual intercourse with an animal; crime of buggery or sodomy. ”Cf. The Publisher's Editorial Staff，Black's Law Dictionary, abridged 6th edition, at p. 258, West Publishing Co. (1991).
[2]“Sexual contact between a human being and an animal. ”Cf. James E. Clapp, Random House Websters Dictionary of the Law, at p. 52, Random House, New York (2000).
[3]“The crime of oral or anal sexual contact or penetration between persons or of sexual intercourse between a person and an animal; esp. the crime of forcing another person to perform oral or anal sex. ” Cf. Linda Picard Wood, J. D. Merriam Webster's Dictionary of Law, at pp. 459 ~460, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated Springfield, Massachusetts (1996).
[4]“A carnal copulation against nature； a man or a woman with a brute beast, a man with a man, or man unnaturally with a woman. This term is often used interchangeably with sodomy. ” Cf. The Publisher's Editorial Staff, Black's Law Dictionary, abridged 6th edition, at p. 134, West Publishing Co. (1991).
[5]“Anal intercourse between a man and a boy. Pederasty is illegal in all states. ”Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 1152，West Group (1999).