1. The quality or state of being epicene; effeminacy or an appearance or manner considered unmanly.
Usage: formal; often considered offensive when applied to people
2. In grammar, the property of a noun that can refer to both masculine and feminine referents without change in form.
Usage: linguistics; technical

Examples

• The critic dismissed the actor's performance as marred by epicenism.
• In Latin, some nouns exhibit epicenism, applying equally to male and female beings.
• The fashion designer's aesthetic was sometimes criticized for its perceived epicenism.
• Linguists study epicenism in languages where gender distinctions are minimal.
• The character's epicenism was a deliberate choice by the playwright to challenge social norms.