Background for epicene

epicene

/ˈɛpɪsiːn/ /ˈɛ.pəˌsin/

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noun

An epicene word; preceded by the: the epicene words of a language as a class.

Examples :

"In English, "teacher" and "doctor" belong to the epicene; they don't grammatically indicate the gender of the person. "

grammar language linguistics word

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noun

An epicene person, whether biologically asexual, androgynous, hermaphrodite, or intersex; an androgyne, a hermaphrodite.

Examples :

"The model's striking appearance, blurring the lines between masculine and feminine, led some to describe them as an epicene. "

person body sex biology human

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noun

(by extension) A transsexual; also, a transvestite.

Examples :

"The local theater group welcomed a new member, an epicene who hoped to inspire others with their performance. "

person sex human body

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noun

(by extension, usually derogatory) An effeminate man.

Examples :

"The school's drama club production featured an epicene portrayal of Romeo, which some found offensive. "

person character human sex appearance

Illustration epicene - Image 1

adjective

Of or relating to a class of Greek and Latin nouns that may refer to males or females but have a fixed grammatical gender (feminine, masculine, neuter, etc.).

Examples :

""Persona," meaning person in Latin, is an epicene noun because it is feminine in grammatical gender but can refer to either a man or a woman. "

grammar language linguistics

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adjective

Of or relating to nouns or pronouns in any language that have a single form for male and female referents.

Examples :

"In some languages, the word "person" is an epicene noun because it refers to both males and females. "

grammar linguistics language

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adjective

(by extension) Suitable for use regardless of sex; unisex.

Examples :

"The store sells epicene clothing, like t-shirts and jeans, that both boys and girls can wear. "

sex appearance style human body

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adjective

Of indeterminate sex, whether asexual, androgynous, hermaphrodite, or intersex; of a human face, intermediate in form between a man's face and a woman's face.

Examples :

"The model's face, with its delicate bone structure and strong jawline, had an almost epicene beauty, captivating both male and female audiences. "

sex body human appearance biology

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adjective

(by extension) Indeterminate; mixed.

Examples :

"The baby's room was decorated in a mostly green and yellow theme, resulting in an epicene design that suited either a boy or a girl. "

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adjective

(by extension, usually derogatory) Of a man: effeminate.

Examples :

"Some found the lead actor's delicate features and soft voice rather epicene for a role as a hardened war veteran. "

character human style person sex attitude body