two-spirit

Meanings

Noun

• A Native (North) American gender-variant, homosexual or bisexual person (especially one belonging to a traditional tribal third-gender, fourth-gender or transgender cultural category that has a ceremonial role).

Adjective

• Pertaining to or being a two-spirit.
• Involving two spirits; especially, pertaining to the doctrine of dualism espoused in the so-called Treatise on the Two Spirits in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Related

Similar words

• 2
• 2S
• two-spirited

Origin

• Modern English , itself a modern term (both originating in 1990), from niizh + manidoo. Replaced berdache (considered offensive) in anthropological literature.
• From two + spirit.