secondary sexual characteristic
1
6.8
- noun
- /ˈsɛkəndɛri ˈsɛkʃuəl ˈkɛrɪktəˌrɪstɪk/
- Specialized
:
característica sexual secundaria
- During puberty, boys typically develop distinct secondary sexual characteristics such as a deeper voice and increased body hair.
- the development of secondary sexual characteristics
- girls with secondary sexual characteristics
- develop secondary sexual characteristics
Examples
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Middle school is a very difficult period for many young girls as it is a time of change for girls experiencing the development of secondary sexual characteristics, as well as menarche (Gilligan, 1993; Herman-Giddens et al., 1997; Monagan, 1983; Pipher, 1994).
Academic text (2004) -
Adolescence, the stage of development from childhood to adulthood, begins with the development of secondary sexual characteristics (Steinberg & Morris, 2000).
Academic text (2006) -
The reported median for the development of secondary sexual characteristics was 6 years for the AA girls and 10 years for the HA girls.
Academic text (2008) -
She may become depressed, and certain secondary sexual characteristics can be affected.
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It is essential for normal growth, the development of male sex organs, and secondary sexual characteristics.
Academic text (2012) -
Pediatric research indicates that HA girls are developing secondary sexual characteristics at a later age than AA girls.
Academic text (2008) -
Male secondary sexual characteristics develop normally in puberty, although the testicles typically are small.
Academic text (2002) -
HA girls were manifesting secondary sexual characteristics (breast development) probably due to this high consumption of calcium.
Academic text (2008) -
Testosterone prepares the testis to produce sperm and causes the development of secondary sexual characteristics, such as pubic and facial hair and vocal deepening.
Blog text (14) -
Research by Herman-Giddens et al. (1997) concerning secondary sexual characteristics and menses in young girls indicated that for some reason early sexual maturation is more prevalent in the AA population.
Academic text (2004)
Synonyms
1
6.5
A physical change during puberty that shows male or female differences and does not help make babies
A physical feature that differs between males and females, like body hair or a deep voice
Surface Forms
Morphology
secondary + sexual + characteristic
The meaning is directly compositional: 'secondary' (not primary), 'sexual' (pertaining to sex), and 'characteristic' (a distinguishing feature) combine to indicate sex-related traits that are not primary reproductive organs. This construction is conceptually transparent and cross-linguistically common, so an average B1 learner who knows the constituent words should be able to infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
The term secondary sexual characteristic names the body features that appear at puberty and show whether someone is male or female, such as body hair, breast development, or a deeper voice. The words secondary, sexual, and characteristic help: secondary means 'not the main one', sexual means 'showing sex', and characteristic means 'a feature', so the phrase means 'visible sex differences that develop at puberty and are not used for having babies'.