androgynous
English
Etymology
From Latin androgynus (“man-woman, hermaphrodite”), from Ancient Greek ἀνδρόγῠνος (andrógunos), from ἀνήρ (anḗr, “man”) + γῠνή (gunḗ, “woman”) + -ος (-os, “-ous”, adjectival suffix).
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ænˈdɹɒd͡ʒ.ɪn.əs/
Audio (RP) (file) - (General American) IPA(key): /ænˈdɹɑd͡ʒ.ən.əs/
- Rhymes: -ɒdʒɪnəs
Adjective
androgynous (comparative more androgynous, superlative most androgynous)
- Possessing the sex organs of both sexes. [from the earlier 17th c.]
- Pertaining to a feature or characteristic that is not definitively of either sex.
- 1993, Octavia E. Butler, Parable of the Sower, HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP (2019), page 199:
- My name is androgynous, in pronunciation at least – Lauren sounds like the more masculine Loren.
- Nicknames like Pat, Sam, and Chris are androgynous, used by both men and women.
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- Possessing qualities of both sexes.
- September 1, 1832, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Table-Talk
- The truth is, a great mind must be androgynous.
- September 1, 1832, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Table-Talk
- (of a connector or docking port) Able to connect to another connector or port of the same type, rather than being restricted to connecting to solely male or solely female connectors or ports.
- APAS is an androgynous docking system, so - in principle, at least - any APAS-equipped vehicle should be able to hook up with any other, without having to worry about matching male with female ports.
Synonyms
- epicene; hermaphrodite (sometimes proscribed)
Related terms
- androgyne
- androgyny
- androgynoplasty
Translations
having sex organs of both genders — see hermaphroditic
pertaining to a characteristic that is not definitively of either sex
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possessing qualities of both sexes
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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See also
- genderqueer
- gender bender
- hermaphroditic
- intersex
- monogendered
- shehe