common gender
Americannoun
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in English, a noun that is the same whether it is referring to either gender, such as cat, people, spouse.
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in some languages, such as Latin, a noun that may be masculine or feminine, but not neuter.
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in some languages, such as Danish, a noun derived from a masculine or feminine word but separate from a neuter form.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The quote from the Declaration is “all men are created equal,” though 18th century English often used “men” in a common-gender sense to refer to both sexes.
From Washington Times • Aug. 20, 2020
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
