Zwitter

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German

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Etymology

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From Middle High German zwitarn (bastard; hermaphrodite), from Old High German zwitarn (bastard). The first part is the prefix zwie- (two-, bi-), but the identity of the second part is unknown.[1]

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈtsvɪtər/, [ˈt͡sʋɪtɐ]
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: Zwit‧ter

Noun

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Zwitter m (strong, genitive Zwitters, plural Zwitter)

  1. (biology) hermaphrodite (individual or organism having both male and female gonads)
    Synonym: Hermaphrodit
  2. (figuratively, chiefly in compounds) hybrid (something of mixed components)
    Synonyms: Hybride, Hybrid
  3. (figuratively, chiefly in compounds) something showing incompatible attributes
  4. (obsolete) a child born of a relation considered illicit or incongruous (born out of wedlock, of different social classes, and/or of different races); a bastard; a mongrel
    Synonyms: Bankert, Bastard, Blendling, Kebskind, Kegel, Mischling

Declension

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Kashubian: cwiter

References

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Further reading

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  • Zwitter” in Duden online
  • Zwitter” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache