What does "hermaphrodite" mean?
A person possessing ambiguous sexual organs or characteristics.
Hermaphrodite
/hɝˈmæfɹədaɪt/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person possessing ambiguous sexual organs or characteristics.
- Grammar: hermaphrodite is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: androgyne, gynandromorph, intersex, ambisexual.
- Useful contrasts: dioecious, dioecious being, dioecious organism.
- Usage evidence: An earthworm is a hermaphrodite.
How to use "hermaphrodite"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "hermaphrodite" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "hermaphrodite" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "hermaphrodite" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "hermaphrodite" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "hermaphrodite" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "androgyne" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "hermaphrodite", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person possessing ambiguous sexual organs or characteristics. dated, offensive
- 2 one having both male and female sexual characteristics and organs; at birth an unambiguous assignment of male or female cannot be made wordnet
- 3 Cosexual: an organism possessing both types of gonads; a flower possessing both stamens and pistils.
"An earthworm is a hermaphrodite."
- 4 Dichogamous: an organism which begins its life as one sex and changes its sex over its life cycle.
"Comb jellies are sequential hermaphrodites."
- 5 A person or thing possessing two opposing qualities.
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 A hermaphrodite brig.
- 7 A farm wagon convertible to multiple purposes.
- 8 An armoured fighting vehicle having features of both male tanks and female tanks. World-War-I, historical
Adjective
- 1 Having ambiguous sexual organs or characteristics. dated, not-comparable, offensive
- 2 Having both ovaries and testes or both stamens and pistils. not-comparable
- 3 Combining two opposing qualities. not-comparable
Adjective
- 1 of animal or plant; having both male female reproductive organs wordnet
Example
"An earthworm is a hermaphrodite."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "hermaphrodite"?
Common synonyms include: androgyne, gynandromorph, intersex, ambisexual, androgynous, bisexual.
How do you use "hermaphrodite" in a sentence?
An earthworm is a hermaphrodite.
How do you pronounce "hermaphrodite"?
Pronounced /hɝˈmæfɹədaɪt/.
Etymology
From Hermaphroditus, the mythical son of Hermes and Aphrodite, who merged bodies with a naiad, thereafter having both male and female qualities.