hermaphrodite
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English
Etymology
From Hermaphroditus, the mythical son of Hermes and Aphrodite who merged bodies with a naiad and thereafter possessed both male and female qualities.
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /hɝˈmæfɹədaɪt/
Audio (Southern England) (file)
Noun
hermaphrodite (plural hermaphrodites)
- (archaic, now offensive) An individual possessing ambiguous sexual organs or characteristics.
- (biology) Cosexual: an organism possessing both types of gonads; a flower possessing both stamens and pistils.
- An earthworm is a hermaphrodite.
- (biology) Dichogamous: an organism which begins its life as one sex and changes its sex over its life cycle.
- Comb jellies are sequential hermaphrodites.
- A person or thing possessing two opposing qualities.
- (nautical) A hermaphrodite brig.
- A farm wagon convertible to multiple purposes.
- (World War I military, historical) An armoured fighting vehicle having features of both male tanks and female tanks.
Usage notes
- Like many terms that start with a non-silent h but have emphasis on their second syllable, some people precede hermaphrodite with an, others with a.
- Intersex is now the preferred term for humans. The term hermaphrodite when used for intersex people is considered a slur.
- Compare androgyne and genderqueer.
Synonyms
- maphrodite, morphodite, mophrodite (slang)
- androgyne
- gynandromorph
- dichogamous
- cosexual
- intersex (noun)
Derived terms
terms derived from hermaphrodite
Translations
individual or organism having both male and female gonads
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person or thing possessing two opposing qualities
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Adjective
hermaphrodite (not comparable)
- (archaic, now offensive) Having ambiguous sexual organs or characteristics.
- (biology) Having both ovaries and testes or both stamens and pistils.
- Combining two opposing qualities.
Synonyms
Translations
having both male and female gonads
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combining two opposing qualities
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See also
- berdache, two-spirit (two-spirits were formerly often called hermaphrodites)
- genderqueer
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 InterACT, 2021. What is intersex? https://interactadvocates.org/faq/ Accessed 2024-03-10
- ^ The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, 2002. Being an Ally to Intersex People. https://www.idahobit.org.au/allyship/tips-to-be-an-intersex-ally Accessed 2024-03-12.
- ^ Gender construction kit, year unknown. Slurs. https://genderkit.org.uk/slurs/ Accessed 2024-03-13
French
Pronunciation
Adjective
hermaphrodite (plural hermaphrodites)
Noun
hermaphrodite m or f by sense (plural hermaphrodites)
Further reading
- “hermaphrodite”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.