androgynism
androgynism Lexical Profile
• noun
The state or condition of having both male and female characteristics, or of being of indeterminate sex or gender; androgyny.
"The literary critic examined the recurring theme of androgynism in late nineteenth-century decadent poetry."
In botany, the developmental condition in which a plant produces both staminate (male) and pistillate (female) flowers within the same inflorescence.
"Certain species of sedges exhibit a marked tendency toward androgynism under fluctuating environmental conditions."
Word Nuance & Usage
While "androgyny" is the standard term for a blend of masculine and feminine presentation in general culture and psychology, "androgynism" is much rarer and more frequently encountered in older clinical or botanical contexts.
• Rhymes for androgynism
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the 19th century from the Greek "androgynos" (meaning both male and female, from "aner" meaning man and "gyne" meaning woman) combined with the suffix "-ism".
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.