Standard Lemma guide

intersex

adj · noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɪn.tə.sɛks/
  • General-American: /ˈɪn.təɹ.sɛks/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪntəɹsɛks

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of an individual, having any of a variety of inherent conditions (in a species with distinct sexes) in which one's sex characteristics differ from those of a typical male and female; for example, having sex characteristics relating to both male and female sexes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hermaphroditic, hermaphrodite, pseudohermaphroditic, pseudohermaphrodite, indeterminate, X, intersexual, intersexed

Antonyms: dyadic, endosex, perisex

2

noun

Meaning 2

The condition of being intersex; intersexuality.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An individual with any of these conditions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A person who can get pregnant and also impregnate someone else.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: fantasy

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To make intersex.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: nonstandard

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: intersexualize

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

one having both male and female sexual characteristics and organs; at birth an unambiguous assignment of male or female cannot be made

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hermaphrodite, gynandromorph, androgyne, epicene, epicene person

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bisexual, bisexual person

History

Etymology

Borrowed from German Intersexe. By surface analysis, inter- + sex. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Needs more details, especially the German etymology.”) Doublet of intersect.

Across languages

Translations

54 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: ինտերսեքս (intersekʻs) — having an intersex condition
  • Bengali: আন্তঃলিঙ্গ (antoḥliṅgo) — having an intersex condition
  • Central Bikol: buraybuto — having an intersex condition
  • Catalan: intersexual — having an intersex condition
  • Catalan: intersexe — having an intersex condition
  • Dutch: interseksueel — having an intersex condition
  • Dutch: interseks — having an intersex condition
  • Esperanto: interseksa — having an intersex condition
  • Esperanto: ambaŭseksa — having an intersex condition
  • Finnish: kaksineuvoinen — having an intersex condition
  • French: intersexué — having an intersex condition
  • French: intersexe — having an intersex condition
  • Galician: intersexual — having an intersex condition
  • German: intersexuell — having an intersex condition
  • German: intergeschlechtlich — having an intersex condition
  • Hungarian: interszex — having an intersex condition
  • Indonesian: interseks — having an intersex condition
  • Irish: idirghnéasach — having an intersex condition
  • Japanese: インターセックス (intāsekksu) — having an intersex condition
  • Latvian: interseksuāla — having an intersex condition
  • Polish: obojnacki — having an intersex condition
  • Polish: obojnacka — having an intersex condition
  • Portuguese: intersexual — having an intersex condition
  • Portuguese: intersexo — having an intersex condition
  • Russian: интерсексуа́льный (intɛrsɛksuálʹnyj) — having an intersex condition
  • Scottish Gaelic: eadar-ghnèitheach — having an intersex condition
  • Spanish: intersexual — having an intersex condition
  • Welsh: rhyngrywiol — having an intersex condition
  • Catalan: intersexe — individual
  • Chinese Mandarin: 雙性人 /双性人 (shuāngxìngrén) — individual
  • Chinese Mandarin: 間性人 /间性人 (jiānxìngrén) — individual
  • Dutch: interseksueel — individual
  • Dutch: interseks — individual
  • Esperanto: interseksulo — individual
  • Esperanto: ambaŭseksulo — individual
  • Finnish: kaksineuvoinen — individual
  • French: intersexué — individual
  • French: intersexuée — individual
  • Galician: intersexual — individual
  • German: Intersexueller — individual
  • German: Intersexuelle — individual
  • German: Intersex-Person — individual
  • Greek: ίντερσεξ (íntersex) — individual
  • Japanese: 半陰陽者 (han'in'yōsha) — individual
  • Nepali: अन्तरलिङ्गी (antaraliṅgī) — individual
  • Newar: त्यामज्यू यचिं (tyāmajyū yaciṃ) — individual
  • Polish: osoba interpłciowa — individual
  • Portuguese: intersexual — individual
  • Portuguese: pessoa intersexo — individual
  • Russian: интерсексуа́л (intɛrsɛksuál) — individual
  • Russian: интерсексуа́лка (intɛrsɛksuálka) — individual
  • Spanish: intersexual — individual
  • Polish: uprawiać seks z osobą interpłciową — to make intersex
  • Portuguese: intersexualizar — to make intersex