hermaphroditism
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 1.64 in modern English
28
Scrabble Score
15
Letters
1
Syllables
11
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The condition of an organism that is able to reproduce as both male and female, either simultaneously (simultaneous hermaphroditism or cosexuality) or sequentially (sequential hermaphroditism or dichogamy).
Countable; Uncountable
noun
The condition of intersex people with intermediate sex characteristics or pseudohermaphroditism.
Countable; Dated; Offensive; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "Among other organisms, alternative methods of reproduction include budding, hermaphroditism (one individual carrying both kinds of sex organs) and isogamy (two individuals, not distinguished as male and female, combining their genes)."
Etymology
Etymology tree English hermaphrodite Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English hermaphroditism From hermaphrodite + -ism.