What does intersexual mean?
The term intersexual refers to individuals who are born with a combination of male and female reproductive organs, or who have a sex that is not exclusively male or female. This can occur due to a variety of genetic or hormonal factors. Intersexual individuals may undergo surgery or other medical interventions to remove non-functioning organs or to align their physical characteristics with their gender identity. The term intersexual is often used interchangeably with hermaphroditic or pseudohermaphroditic, although some individuals and organizations prefer the term intersexual as it is seen as more inclusive and respectful. In recent years, the term intersexual has been largely replaced by the term non-binary, which refers to individuals who do not identify as exclusively male or female. However, the term intersexual is still used in some medical and academic contexts to describe individuals with a combination of male and female reproductive organs.
adjectiveRelating to or characterized by the presence of both male and female reproductive organs, or having a sex that is not exclusively male or female.
- 1. Relating to or characterized by the presence of both male and female reproductive organs.
"The intersexual individual was born with both ovaries and testes, and underwent surgery to remove the non-functioning organs."
"The intersexual individual was born with both ovaries and testes, and underwent surgery to remove the non-functioning organs."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of intersexual
The term intersexual is derived from the Latin words inter- (between, among) and sexual (relating to sex). It was first used in the late 19th century to describe individuals who were born with a combination of male and female reproductive organs.
Usage notes
The term intersexual is often used in medical and academic contexts to describe individuals with a combination of male and female reproductive organs. However, it is not commonly used in everyday language, and is often replaced by the term non-binary.