What does "intersex" mean?
The condition of being intersex; intersexuality.
Intersex
/ˈɪn.tə.sɛks/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The condition of being intersex; intersexuality.
- Grammar: intersex is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: androgyne, epicene, epicene person, gender variant.
- Useful contrasts: binary, binary sex, pathologized term.
- Usage evidence: To claim sex is binary requires ignoring intersex people, which is unscientific and purely ideological.
How to use "intersex"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "intersex" 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 "intersex" 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 "intersex" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "intersex" 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 "intersex" is acting as adj, noun, verb 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 "intersex", 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 The condition of being intersex; intersexuality. uncountable
"A Canadian believes that he has solved the diagnostic problem in human intersex. All human cells, says Dr. Murray L. Barr of the University of Western Ontario, contain something called sex chromatin."
- 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 An individual with any of these conditions. countable
"Goldschmidt and others who have thought of the homosexual individual as an intersex have relied upon incidence figures which were pure guesses and which, as the data in the present chapter will show, bear little relation to the fact...."
Verb
- 1 To make intersex. nonstandard
"The point is significant in light of current political issues surrounding real intersexed individuals. [...] It is clearly the case that physical intersexing and psychological androgyny do not conform to sex and gender norms in society. [...]"
Adjective
- 1 Of an individual, having any of a variety of inherent conditions (in a species with distinct sexes) in which one's sex characteristics differ from those of a typical male and female; for example, having sex characteristics relating to both male and female sexes. not-comparable
"His confidentiality was broken, and soon the entire staff and residential population were aware that Jim was intersex. […] we faced the fact that most programs were gender segregated and would not be a safe place for Jim to be known as intersex."
- 2 A person who can get pregnant and also impregnate someone else. not-comparable
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"To claim sex is binary requires ignoring intersex people, which is unscientific and purely ideological."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "intersex"?
Common synonyms include: androgyne, epicene, epicene person, gender variant, gynandromorph, hermaphrodite.
How do you use "intersex" in a sentence?
To claim sex is binary requires ignoring intersex people, which is unscientific and purely ideological.
How do you pronounce "intersex"?
Pronounced /ˈɪn.tə.sɛks/.
Etymology
From German Intersexe. Doublet of intersect. By surface analysis, inter- + sex.