Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. An animal or plant exhibiting hermaphroditism.
- n. Something that is a combination of disparate or contradictory elements.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A human being in whom the sexual characteristics of both sexes are to some extent, really or apparently, combined; also, one of the higher animals which is similarly deformed. Such monstrosities are really of one sex or the other, but are generally imperfectly developed with respect to either. They are hence specifically called
spurious hermaphrodites . - n. One of those lower animals which normally possess the parts of generation of both the male and the female, so that reproduction can take place without the union of two individuals. Such animals are called
true hermaphrodites . They are those which have both an ovary and a testis, or a female and a male genital gland, in one and the same individual, as is very often the case among mollusks and worms. The essential organs of both sexes may exist simultaneously, or the animal may be male at one time and female at another; but in either case it is capable of self-impregnation.A variation of this case is seen in some animals, as earthworms, which are hermaphroditic yet copulate, each impregnating the other. True hermaphrodites occur only as an anomaly among vertebrates, but there are authentic instances of the development of a testis on one side of the body and an ovary on the other; and embryologically all sexual animals are hermaphrodites before the primitively similar genital gland has assumed the special characters of either sex. - n. In botany, a flower that contains both the stamen and the pistil perfectly developed, or the male and female organs of generation, within the same floral envelop or on the same receptacle. See perfect.
- Same as hermaphroditic.
Wiktionary
- n. A person or thing possessing two opposing qualities.
- n. nautical A hermaphrodite brig.
- adj. Having gender-ambiguous sexual organs, typically including both types of gonads, in one individual or organism.
- adj. Combining two opposing qualities.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. (Biol.) An individual which has the attributes of both male and female, or which unites in itself the two sexes; an animal or plant having the parts of generation of both sexes, as when a flower contains both the stamens and pistil within the same calyx, or on the same receptacle. In some cases reproduction may take place without the union of the distinct individuals. In the animal kingdom true hermaphrodites are found only among the invertebrates. See
Illust. in Appendix, underHelminths . - adj. Including, or being of, both sexes.
WordNet 3.0
- adj. of animal or plant; having both male female reproductive organs
- n. one having both male and female sexual characteristics and organs; at birth an unambiguous assignment of male or female cannot be made
Etymologies
- From Hermaphroditos, the mythical son of Hermes and Aphrodite, possessing both male and female qualities. (Wiktionary)
- Middle English hermofrodite, from Medieval Latin hermofrodītus, from Latin Hermaphrodītus, Hermaphroditus, hermaphrodite; see Hermaphroditus. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“Those unfamiliar with the term "intersex" may still recognize the term "hermaphrodite" -- a single human possessing both male and female genitalia -- which is one variety of intersexuality.”
“Naturally, hearing the word hermaphrodite reminded me of my stepmother.”
“And first of all, if I could just say no bias no bull, the term hermaphrodite, which the good doctor used is considered to be profoundly outdated.”
“After some research on the term hermaphrodite on wikipedia, it is now known as chimerism, but the general term that covers all those conditions is intersex.”
Think Progress » O’Reilly And Beck Agree: We’re ‘Afraid’ To Have ‘A Lot Of African-American Friends’
“The term hermaphrodite is now outmoded and regarded as derogatory by intersexuals.”
“In zoology, a hermaphrodite is an organism of a species whose members possess both male and female sexual organs during their lives.”
Think Progress » Protest Turnout: A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Lies
“From here out I will use the term hermaphrodite, but please beclear that I do not intend it in any way as a derogatory term and though above you quote a journal as saying this term is no longer acceptable in clinical use, that is the manner in which I am using it.)”
“A hermaphrodite is born with male and female genitalia.”
Think Progress » Malkin On Detainee Suicides: ‘Boo-Freakin-Hoo’
“You know as well as I that a hermaphrodite is not a sexual degenerate.”
Think Progress » Malkin On Detainee Suicides: ‘Boo-Freakin-Hoo’
“Jupiter was himself sometimes represented as being female; and the word hermaphrodite is in itself a union between Hermes and Aphrodite, the male and female creative powers.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘hermaphrodite’.
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Interesting words
A list of words that are odd or words that I have looked up.
concupiscence, brize, scree, scoria, forestaff, spanaemia, valetudinarianism, distasture, pyrethrum, laudanum, gentian, bicameral and 11184 more...
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Genes
Interesting gene names. Some of these may have changed recently (to something less offensive/funny).
http://www.genenames.org/
tinman, agnostic, dreadlocks, Van Gogh, fruitless, lava lamp, ariadne, cheap date, ken and barbie, I'm not dead yet, I'm not dead yet 2, manic fringe and 1192 more... -
Disturbing definitions from the Centu...
Although the Century Dictionary has some exquisite definitions which exhibit attention to scientific detail and respect for terms, ideas, and technology that might otherwise be forgotten, this wind...
cockshy, homosexuality, niggard, sodomy, Creole, promiscuity, savage, ass, hamfatter, ill-gendered, madras, hydrencephalocele and 22 more...
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gcherches's Words
serendipity, roadrunner, inner child, coagulant, esquire, vicissitude, idiot savant, mitigation, affirmation, affirmative, diatribe, affirmative action and 185 more...
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Malachi_Constant's Words
triumverate, pandemic, parsnip, delineate, zamboni, parka, laser, swoop, malevolent, benevolent, fracas, tipsy and 372 more...
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sionnach's Words
contumely, fomite, holmgang, poltroon, eleemosynary, obsidian, nugatory, grindcore, felch, recrudescent, pyx, parenteral and 3271 more...
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Into the mix
A medley of mixtures, mostly ones where the constituents are still distinct. I tagged kinds of stew.
mixture, commixture, admixture, intermixture, intermingling, commingling, mingling, marriage, union, integration, syncretion, permutation and 129 more...
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brin1d2lynn's list
Dooflobbie
Thingamajig
Hootendibbler
Whatchamacallit
Trifling
Mullish
Obstreperous
Impudent
Insolent
Crabby
Cranky
Idiocy
Hul...chagrinery, vexsome, irksome, carbuncle, cantankerous, splendiferous, odious, perfidious, parsimonious, pandemonium, mayhem, erstwhile and 59 more...
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Related to "Hermes"
Words related to my name, either by association or etymology.
Hermes, hermeneutic, mercury, messenger, herald, quicksilver, deity, god, Olympus, mythology, psychopomp, Hades and 39 more...
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people
authoress, arm candy, doppelganger, contender, portraitist, acolyte, hierophant, whistleblower, scrivener, querent, banshee, jester and 81 more...
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Sucks to Be You
Words that are the basis for ridicule, misunderstanding, and shunning.
midget, effeminate, gay, fag, retard, cripple, blonde, jock, androgynous, hermaphrodite, muslim, pedophile and 7 more...
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five
this is just a list okay
opium, bramble, rivulet, coulee, smoulder, velvet, veil, ribbon, gin, cognac, schnapps, juniper and 88 more...
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word set 5
sapidity, devolved, mincingly, zootechnics, eschatology, tribulations, peccadillo, anorgasmia, hermaphrodite, serial monogamy, freethinker, sorceress and 83 more...
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H
hirsute, hermeneutic, harebrained, hallicinatory, hindrance, harridan, hectic, hermaphrodite
Tweets
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