hermaphrodite

1 of 2

noun

her·​maph·​ro·​dite (ˌ)hər-ˈma-frə-ˌdīt How to pronounce hermaphrodite (audio)
plural hermaphrodites
1
: an animal or plant having both male and female reproductive organs, structures, or tissue : an organism exhibiting hermaphroditism
2
: something that is a combination of diverse elements

hermaphrodite

2 of 2

adjective

: possessing both male and female reproductive organs, structures, or tissue : hermaphroditic
hermaphrodite plants
Like their relatives the earthworms, leeches are hermaphrodite animals. Each individual has both male and female sex organs but cannot fertilize itself.Mark Carwardine

Examples of hermaphrodite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Interestingly, the species are sequential hermaphrodites, meaning they are born female, with some transitioning to males later in life. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024 This true hermaphrodite is one rare trophy indeed. Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 16 Jan. 2023 God might be a hermaphrodite or something. David Marchesephotograph By Mamadi Doumbouya, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2021 This means that a hermaphrodite should invest as much energy as possible into making eggs. Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2011 These scientists assayed samples from 229 individual wolves taken over the years—116 males, 112 females, and one hermaphrodite—to try to correlate the presence of antibodies against the parasite with demographic factors and specific behaviors. Diana Gitig, Ars Technica, 29 Nov. 2022 With the new 7 Series, BMW is presenting a hermaphrodite, in contrast to the Mercedes EQS. Neil Winton, Forbes, 25 Apr. 2022 The lancetfish found onshore in Drake’s Bay at Point Reyes National Seashore had a gaping fanged jaw, is cannibalistic, a hermaphrodite and has no scales, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. Gale Hollandstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2022 Jeffdanielsi are mostly self-fertilizing hermaphrodites that produce their own sperm and eggs; on average, a single hermaphrodite can produce 160 babies in its lifespan. Todd Spangler, Variety, 19 Jan. 2022
Adjective
In her new book, Rowling introduces readers to Edie Ledwell, a creator of a popular YouTube cartoon who sees internet trolls and her own fandom turn on her after the cartoon was criticized as being racist and ableist, as well as transphobic for a bit about a hermaphrodite worm. Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2022 The hermaphrodite offspring self-fertilized for most of their lives and cross-fertilized only at the end. Saugat Bolakhe, Discover Magazine, 2 Mar. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hermaphrodite.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English hermofrodite, borrowed from Latin hermaphrodītus, borrowed from Greek hermaphródītos, after Hermaphródītos hermaphroditus

Adjective

from attributive use of hermaphrodite entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1607, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hermaphrodite was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near hermaphrodite

Cite this Entry

“Hermaphrodite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hermaphrodite. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hermaphrodite

noun
her·​maph·​ro·​dite (ˌ)hər-ˈmaf-rə-ˌdīt How to pronounce hermaphrodite (audio)
: a hermaphroditic plant or animal

Medical Definition

hermaphrodite

noun
her·​maph·​ro·​dite (ˌ)hər-ˈmaf-rə-ˌdīt How to pronounce hermaphrodite (audio)
: an individual exhibiting hermaphroditism
hermaphrodite adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on hermaphrodite

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!