1. a person in certain Native American cultures who fulfills a mixture of masculine and feminine social and ceremonial roles
Usage: anthropological term; considered outdated by many Native American communities

Examples

• The anthropologist studied the role of the berdache in traditional Plains Indian society.
• Many tribes had specific ceremonies involving the berdache.
• The term berdache has largely been replaced by ‘Two-Spirit’ in contemporary usage.
• Historical accounts describe the berdache as holding important spiritual positions.
• The berdache often served as mediators between different groups within the tribe.