Dictionary 2

What is a Hermaphrodite?

This is an animal or plant with both which have both the reproductive organs of a male and female. A person who is a hermaphrodite (also known as intersex) has ovarian and testicular tissues and has the sexual characteristics of a male and female. This is a rare condition. At birth, their sex determination is ambiguous.

The etymology behind this word is very interesting as it has originated from a Greek myth. Hermaphródītos was the son of Hermes (messenger of the Greek gods) and Aphrodite (Greek goddess of love). A water nymph – Salmacis, was fervently in love with Hermaphródītos that she prayed to the gods to be in complete union with him. Consequently, their bodies merged into one hence forming a person with both sexual characteristics.

Reference:

"Hermaphrodite - Word Origin and History." Word-Origins.com – History and Etymology of Words. 2010. Web. Sept. 2010. .

"Hermaphrodite." Wordnet - Princeton. 2010. Web. Sept. 2010. .