Secondary Sex Characteristic (Noun)
Meaning
The genetically determined sex characteristics that are not functionally necessary for reproduction (pitch of the voice and body hair and musculature).
Classification
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects.
Examples
- The development of secondary sex characteristics is influenced by the surge of sex hormones during puberty.
- Body hair and vocal changes are examples of secondary sex characteristics that arise during male adolescence.
- The emergence of secondary sex characteristics often signals to others that an individual has reached reproductive maturity.
- Female secondary sex characteristics include the widening of the hips, breast development, and changes in body fat distribution.
- Hormonal imbalances can disrupt the normal development of secondary sex characteristics in some individuals.