hermaphrodite
|her-ma-phro-dite|
🇺🇸
/hərˈmæfrəˌdaɪt/
🇬🇧
/həˈmæfrədaɪt/
both sexes in one body
Etymology
'hermaphrodite' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'hermaphroditos', where the name 'Hermes' and 'Aphrodite' were combined to form the compound referring to the child of those deities.
'hermaphroditos' passed into Latin as 'hermaphroditus' and then into Middle English and modern English as 'hermaphrodite' (via Medieval Latin/Old French forms in some transmissions).
Initially, it referred to the mythological offspring of Hermes and Aphrodite; over time it came to denote organisms with both male and female sexual characteristics and later acquired medical and figurative senses. Its application to humans in medical contexts is now often replaced by 'intersex' because 'hermaphrodite' can be misleading or offensive.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an animal or plant that has both male and female reproductive organs; capable of producing both sperm and eggs.
Many snails are hermaphrodite and can self-fertilize under certain conditions.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
a person or mythical being possessing both male and female sexual characteristics; historically used in medical and literary contexts (now often considered outdated or offensive when applied to people).
Older medical texts sometimes described ambiguous human cases as hermaphrodite, a term now largely replaced by 'intersex'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 1
having both male and female reproductive organs.
A hermaphrodite flower contains both stamens and carpels in the same bloom.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/25 23:25