androgynous

American  

[an-droj-uh-nuhs] / ænˈdrɒdʒ ə nəs /

adjective

1. neither clearly masculine nor clearly feminine in appearance.

   Their new clothing collection is inspired by the androgynous look of many rock stars.

2. having an ambiguous gender or having both masculine and feminine gender characteristics.

3. possessing both male and female physical sex traits.

4. Botany. having staminate and pistillate flowers in the same inflorescence.

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androgynous British  

/ ænˈdrɒdʒɪnəs /

adjective

1. botany having male and female flowers in the same inflorescence, as cuckoo pint

2. having male and female characteristics; hermaphrodite

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androgynous Scientific  

/ ăn-drŏj′ə-nəs /

1. Having both female and male characteristics.

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Other Word Forms

• androgyny
  noun

Etymology

Origin of androgynous

First recorded in 1620–30; androgyne + -ous

Explanation

If you describe something as androgynous, you are saying that you can't classify it as strictly male or female. If you are looking for an androgynous name, for example, choose Pat. You can see the meaning of androgynous in its parts: In Greek, andros means "male" and gyn means "female." Someone who is androgynous has both male and female characteristics, and therefore may be mistaken for being a member of the opposite gender. Don't confuse androgynous with unisex, which describes objects or places used by both males and females, like a unisex restroom.

Example Sentences

Androgynous models with slow, considered walks sauntered down the runway.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 13, 2024

Androgynous trouser suits followed as did plenty of faux fur coats in lilac, blue, fuchsia and yellow.

From Reuters • Feb. 24, 2023

“He was too afraid to be weird,” the Androgynous chaps reported.

From The Guardian • Apr. 7, 2016

Androgynous, defiant, perhaps a bit glassy-eyed, she resembles the young Mick Jagger as merged with Cat Power.

From New York Times • Sep. 28, 2015

From the Ancient of Days a new divine being had been given off—the Holy King, the Messiah, the Primal Man, Androgynous, Perfect, who would harmonize the jarring chords, restore the spiritual unity of the Universe.

From Dreamers of the Ghetto by Zangwill, Israel