The difference between Third gender and Two-spirit

When used as nouns, third gender means a category (a gender), present in societies which recognize three or more genders, which is neither male nor female, whereas two-spirit means 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).


Two-spirit is also adjective with the meaning: pertaining to or being a two-spirit.

check bellow for the other definitions of Third gender and Two-spirit

  1. Third gender as a noun (anthropology):

    A category (a gender), present in societies which recognize three or more genders, which is neither male nor female; in some societies, the category may contain individuals who are intersex or androgynous, while other societies may categorize transgender people into it.

  1. Two-spirit as a 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).

  1. Two-spirit as an adjective:

    Pertaining to or being a two-spirit.

  1. Two-spirit as an adjective (theology):

    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.