Epicene (Noun)
Meaning
One having both male and female sexual characteristics and organs; at birth an unambiguous assignment of male or female cannot be made.
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- The medical team struggled to assign a sex to the newborn baby due to its epicene condition, which presented both male and female characteristics.
- The epicene individual faced unique challenges when applying for official documents that required a specific sex to be stated.
- Some ancient cultures revered individuals born with epicene traits, believing them to possess spiritual powers.
- Despite increased awareness and understanding, epicene people continued to experience stigma and social isolation in many societies.
- Genetic testing helped determine the underlying cause of the child's epicene condition, allowing doctors to provide targeted care and guidance for the family.