— epicenism , n.
/ep"i seen'/ , adj.
1. belonging to, or partaking of the characteristics of, both sexes: Fashions in clothing are becoming increasingly epicene.
2. flaccid; feeble; weak: an epicene style of writing.
3. effeminate; unmasculine.
4. (of Greek and Latin nouns) of the same gender class regardless of the sex of the being referred to, as Latin vulpes "fox or vixen" is always grammatically feminine.
5. Gram. (of a noun or pronoun) capable of referring to either sex, as attendant, chairperson, Kim, one, or they; having common gender.
n.
6. a person or thing that is epicene.
[ 1400-50; late ME epicoenus of both genders epíkoinos common to many, equiv. to epi- EPI- + koinós common ]