adj

epicene

Epicene (adj) means 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.).

adj

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.).

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

Suitable for use regardless of sex; unisex.

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.

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “epicene” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Etymology

From Late Middle English epicene, epicen, epicin, epcyn, episcen, epycen, epycene, epycyn, ypsen (“(grammar) having only one form for masculine and feminine gender, common”), from Late Latin epicoenos, epicoenus (“of a noun: applicable to either males or females”), Latin epicoenon (“noun applicable to either males or females; grammatical gender of such nouns”), from Ancient Greek ἐπίκοινος (epíkoinos, “common to many people, things, etc.; promiscuous, sluttish”) (compare γένος ἐπίκοινον (génos epíkoinon, “common gender”)), from ἐπι- (epi-, prefix meaning ‘on, upon; on top of; all over’) + κοινός (koinós, “common; general, public”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“beside, by, near, with”) + *-yós (suffix forming adjectives from noun stems)).

Rhymes for epicene

gene bene nene lene Rene scene Irene Keene Beene Ilene serene Selene

See all rhymes for epicene →

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of epicene?

"epicene" (adj) means 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.).

What are the different meanings of epicene?

"epicene" has 3 main meanings: 1. 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.); 2. Of or relating to nouns or pronouns in any language that have a single form for male and female referents; 3. Suitable for use regardless of sex; unisex.