epicene

[ ep-i-seen ]
See synonyms for epicene on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. lacking the typical characteristics of a particular gender or sex; sexless: Fashions in clothing are becoming increasingly epicene.

  2. flaccid; feeble; weak: an epicene style of writing.

  1. effeminate; unmasculine.

  2. (of Greek and Latin nouns) of the same gender class regardless of the sex of the individual referred to, as the grammatically feminine Latin vulpēs “fox.”

  3. Grammar. (of a noun or pronoun) capable of referring to any individual regardless of sex, as attendant, chairperson, Pat, one, or they; having common gender.

noun
  1. a person or thing that is epicene.

Origin of epicene

1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin epicoenus “of both genders,” from Greek epíkoinos “common to many,” equivalent to epi- epi- + koinós “common”

Other words from epicene

  • ep·i·cen·ism, noun

Words Nearby epicene

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use epicene in a sentence

  • He was a great contrast to the epicene bird-like creature who had lorded it over the civic fortunes of Valladolid.

    The American Egypt | Channing Arnold

British Dictionary definitions for epicene

epicene

/ (ˈɛpɪˌsiːn) /


adjective
  1. having the characteristics of both sexes; hermaphroditic

  2. of neither sex; sexless

  1. effeminate

  2. grammar

    • denoting a noun that may refer to a male or a female, such as teacher as opposed to businessman or shepherd

    • (in Latin, Greek, etc) denoting a noun that retains the same grammatical gender regardless of the sex of the referent

noun
  1. an epicene person or creature

  2. an epicene noun

Origin of epicene

1
C15: from Latin epicoenus of both genders, from Greek epikoinos common to many, from koinos common

Derived forms of epicene

  • epicenism, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012