single-sexness
|sin-gle-sex-ness|
/ˈsɪŋɡəlˌsɛksnəs/
state of being only one sex
Etymology
'single-sexness' originates from English, specifically the compound 'single-sex' and the suffix '-ness', where 'single' meant 'one; not paired/alone', 'sex' meant 'gender', and '-ness' meant 'state or quality'.
'single-sexness' developed from the modern English compound 'single-sex' (formed in the 19th–20th century), which itself combines 'single' (from Old English/West Germanic roots meaning 'one' or 'alone') and 'sex' (from Latin 'sexus'), with the Old English suffix '-ness' (meaning 'state or condition') added to form an abstract noun.
Initially it referred simply to the condition of being of one sex; over time it came to be used especially for social or institutional contexts to denote being restricted to one sex (for example, single-sex schools or organizations).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or quality of being restricted to one sex (e.g., institutions, classes, or activities that are for males only or females only).
The single-sexness of the private academy prompted a citywide debate about access to education.
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Noun 2
the characteristic of an organism, group, or population being composed of only one biological sex.
Researchers noted the single-sexness of the colony when only female offspring were observed for several seasons.
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Last updated: 2025/09/28 21:57