Definition
Hermaphroditus, a figure from Greek mythology who was the child of Hermes and Aphrodite, known for merging with a nymph to become one being with both male and female characteristics.
Etymology
From Greek 'Hermaphroditus,' a direct compound of 'Hermēs' (Hermes) and 'Aphrodítē' (Aphrodite); the mythological figure became the etymological source for all hermaphrodite terminology in English.
Kelly Says
The myth of Hermaphroditus was ancient Greece's way of exploring something they knew existed but didn't fully understand—they made it divine and magical because science didn't have better explanations yet.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
የእንስሳት ልጅ
ye-in-sa-at li-j
ARالعربية
هرمفروديت
her-ma-fro-deet
BNবাংলা
নারী-পুরুষ
na-ree-pu-rush
CACatalà
hermafrodit
her-ma-fro-dit
CSČeština
hermafrodit
her-ma-fro-dit
DADansk
hermafrodit
her-ma-fro-dit
DEDeutsch
Hermaphroditus
her-ma-froh-dee-tus
ELΕλληνικά
ἑρμαφρόδιτος
her-ma-fro-dee-tos
ESEspañol
hermafrodito
er-ma-froh-dee-to
FISuomi
hermafrodiitti
her-ma-fro-dee-tti
FRFrançais
hermaphrodite
er-ma-froh-dit
GUGU
યોનિ-શિખર
yo-ni-shi-khar
HAHA
maza-mata
ma-za-ma-ta
HEעברית
הַרְמַפְרוֹדִיט
ha-rma-fro-dit
HIहिन्दी
नर-महिला
nar-mah-ila
HUMagyar
hermafrodit
her-ma-fro-dit
IDBahasa Indonesia
hermafrodit
her-ma-fro-dit
IGIG
nwoke-nwanyi
nwoke-nwanyi
ITItaliano
ermafrodito
er-maf-ro-dee-to
KKKK
еркек-ая
er-kek-a-ya
KMKM
ប្រភេទទាំងពីរ
pra-pheth-teang-pi-er
MSBahasa Melayu
hermafrodit
her-ma-fro-dit
MYမြန်မာ
အလွန် ကျယ်
a-lwan kyai
NLNederlands
hermafrodiet
her-ma-fro-diet
NONorsk
hermafrodit
her-ma-fro-dit
PLPolski
hermafrodyt
her-ma-fro-dit
PTPortuguês
hermafrodito
er-ma-froh-dee-to
RORomână
hermafrodit
her-ma-fro-dit
RUРусский
гермафродит
ger-maf-ro-dit
SVSvenska
hermafrodit
her-ma-fro-dit
SWKiswahili
hermafroditism
her-ma-fro-di-tizm
TAதமிழ்
இரட்டை பாலின
ir-ttaai pa-li-na
TEతెలుగు
ద్వంద్వ లింగం
dvandva lin-gam
THไทย
บุคคลสองเพศ
book-kon-song-pet
TLTL
hermaphrodite
her-ma-fro-dit
TRTürkçe
hermafrodit
her-ma-fro-dit
UKУкраїнська
гермафродит
her-ma-fro-dit
URاردو
ہرمفرودیٹ
her-ma-fro-deet
VITiếng Việt
sinh dục hai giới
sinh-dục-hai-gioi
YOYO
omo-enikan
omo-enikan
ZUZU
umuntu omncane
oo-mun-too om-n-ca-ne
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Greek mythological figure; name used to frame all intersex/androgynous phenomena. Reduces human diversity to classical myth, limiting modern language and self-definition.
Inclusive Usage
Use as proper noun (mythology only). Avoid as generic descriptor for intersex people or conditions.
Inclusive Alternatives
["intersex person","androgynous figure"]