gender-neutral

EnglishEdit

Alternative formsEdit

EtymologyEdit

Compound of gender +‎ neutral.

AdjectiveEdit

gender-neutral (comparative more gender-neutral, superlative most gender-neutral)

  1. Applicable or available to all genders.
    The women's sleeping quarters are on the left side of the dormitory, the men's are on the right; gender-neutral restrooms are located in the middle.
    Many modern laws use gender-neutral constructions like "they" in place of the old, supposedly unmarked "he".
  2. Not indicating or restricted by gender, and thus applicable or available to those of any gender and to those of no gender.
    Synonyms: gender-inclusive, genderless, ungendered, unisex, non-gendered
    Gender-neutral pronouns like "ey" and "ze" are used by many genderqueer, intersex, and neutrois individuals.
    • 1995 November, Elliot, Kandis, “The Androgyne Murders”, in Science Fiction Age[1], volume 4, number 1 (Science Fiction), →ISSN, →OCLC, pages 50-51:
      Ramant’s brain had to switch gears. Of course he knew that the Vonarians used a gender-neutral pronoun set when referring to themselves, and he’d even practiced it, but when it rolled off Boë’s sweet and mellow tongue it sounded like an alien language.
    • 2022 April 20, “Network News: RSSB to explore new terms to replace 'pilotman'”, in RAIL, number 955, page 16:
      Alongside its vital role of maintaining and reviewing each of the rail industry's 294 technical and safety standards, the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) is about to turn its attention to how to make the term 'pilotman' gender-neutral.
  3. (grammar) In languages where words are assigned to one gender or another, lacking such an assignment.
    Synonym: epicene

AntonymsEdit

TranslationsEdit