secondary sexual characteristic: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Primary sexual characteristics are the reproductive organs themselves (e.g., ovaries, testes). Secondary sexual characteristics are other physical traits that develop during puberty and distinguish the sexes but are not directly part of the reproductive system (e.g., body hair, breast development).

No, they vary greatly. In humans, they include features like facial hair and hip widening. In other animals, they might include a lion's mane, a peacock's tail, or the antlers of a deer.

While sex hormones (androgens and estrogens) are the primary drivers, their expression can be influenced by genetics, nutrition, and overall health. Certain medical conditions can delay or alter their development.

In informal or clinical spoken English, 'secondary sex characteristics' is a very common and generally understood shortening. In formal academic writing, the full term 'secondary sexual characteristics' is preferred.

A physical feature that appears during puberty and distinguishes between the sexes but is not directly involved in reproduction.

Secondary sexual characteristic is usually academic, technical, scientific in register.

Secondary sexual characteristic: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsekəndri ˈsekʃuəl ˌkærəktəˈrɪstɪk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsekənderi ˈsekʃuəl ˌkerəktəˈrɪstɪk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.