hə:ˈmæfrədaɪt n. & adj. --n. 1 a Zool. an
animal having
both male and female sexual organs. b
Bot. a
plant having stamens and pistils in
the same flower. 2 a
human being in
which both male and female
sex organs are present, or in which the sex organs
contain both ovarian and testicular
tissue. 3 a
person or
thing combining
opposite qualities or characteristics. --adj. 1 combining both sexes. 2 combining opposite qualities or characteristics. øhermaphrodite brig
hist. a two-masted sailing
ship rigged on the
foremast as a brig and on the
mainmast as a
schooner. øøhermaphroditic adj. hermaphroditical adj. hermaphroditism n. [L hermaphroditus f. Gk hermaphroditos, orig. the
name of a
son of Hermes and Aphrodite in
Greek mythology,
who became joined in
one body with the
nymph Salmacis]