Hermaphroditical

/ˌhɜːmæfrəˈdɪtɪkəl/ adjective

Definition

An archaic or formal variant of hermaphroditic, describing the condition or quality of being hermaphroditic or having mixed characteristics of both sexes.

Etymology

From 'hermaphrodite' plus the older English suffix '-ical' (variant of '-ic'); this form reflects earlier English usage when such terms were more formal and elaborate.

Kelly Says

This word shows how English loved adding extra syllables for emphasis in the 1600s-1700s—it's the linguistic equivalent of wearing a bigger wig to seem more important.

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