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third gender

American  
[thurd jen-der] / ˈθɜrd ˈdʒɛn dər /

noun

  1. Anthropology. any of various gender classifications in societies that recognize a gender other than male or female.

  2. a person who identifies as a gender other than male or female or as neither male nor female.


adjective

  1. being or relating to a person who belongs to a gender classification or identifies as a gender other than male or female.

Etymology

Origin of third gender

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

In 2014, the Supreme Court recognised transgender people as a third gender in a landmark ruling, granting certain rights to them and giving them the power to "advocate with the government".

From BBC Oct. 15, 2023

For centuries Mexico's indigenous Zapotec people have recognized a third sex known as "muxes," a third gender that includes both masculine and feminine traits.

From Salon May 22, 2023

Supreme Court rulings allow them to self-identify as a third gender, neither male nor female, and have underscored they have the same rights as all Pakistani citizens.

From Seattle Times Jan. 18, 2023

Jerry Brown in 2017, making California the second state in the country, after Oregon, to offer a third gender category on licenses or identification cards.

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 30, 2022

Malta and Nepal join the list of countries offering their citizens the choice of an official third gender.

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater

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