sexual dimorphism

American  

noun

1. the condition in which the males and females in a species are morphologically different, as with many birds.

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sexual dimorphism British  

noun

1. biology differences in appearance between the males and females of a species

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sexually dimorphic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of sexual dimorphism

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

There are believed to be two ways in which sex chromosomes can cause sex-specific differences, also called sexual dimorphism, in cells.

From Salon • Apr. 22, 2025

The main groups in which the phenomenon has been recorded include animal species which feature strong sexual dimorphism; most often insects, especially butterflies, crustaceans, spiders, even lizards and rodents.

From Science Daily • Dec. 11, 2023

Many stick insects display extreme sexual dimorphism, with females unrecognizable from their male companions.

From New York Times • Dec. 1, 2020

Hunt had been focusing on fossil ostracods – one of the few taxa where sexual dimorphism can be readily identified in the fossil record.

From Salon • Jun. 8, 2018

Absence of sexual dimorphism in the Bell Vireo obviously suggests that behavioral criteria are used by the birds in sex-recognition.

From Natural History of the Bell Vireo, Vireo bellii Audubon by Barlow, Jon C.