Zwitter

German

Etymology

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

Noun

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
Declension of Zwitter [masculine, strong]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Zwitter die Zwitter
genitive eines des Zwitters der Zwitter
dative einem dem Zwitter den Zwittern
accusative einen den Zwitter die Zwitter

Derived terms

References
  1. Wolfgang Pfeifer: Etymologisches Wörterbuch.

Further reading
  • “Zwitter” in Duden online
  • “Zwitter” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
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