berdache

[ ber-dash ]

noun

1. Older Use: Sometimes Offensive. two-spirit ( def 1 ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of berdache¹

First recorded in 1800–10; from North American French; French bardache “catamite,” from South Italian bardassa, bardascia “boy, young man,” posssibly from Arabic bardaj “captive,” from Persian bardah, wardag

Example Sentences

Hence probably the astounding berdache chiefs of the tale: they are imagined in order to provide the fitting dance setting.

From Project Gutenberg