Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Relating to or being of one sex only: Describes an organism, structure, or characteristic that is associated with a single sex (either male or female), not both.
   • Having reproductive organs of only one sex: Specifically refers to an individual organism that possesses either male or female reproductive organs, but not both; not hermaphroditic.

Usage and Examples

• General Biological Context:
  • Most mammals are unisexual, meaning individuals are distinctly male or female.
  • The study focused on unisexual populations of the fish species.
• Botanical Context:
  • A unisexual flower contains either stamens or pistils, but not both.
  • The plant is unisexual, so you need both a male and a female plant for pollination.

Advanced Usage

• In Developmental Biology: Can describe processes or genes active in only one sex.
  • The gene expression is unisexual, occurring only in female embryos.
• In Population Studies: Refers to groups consisting of only one sex.
  • The unisexual aggregation of males is common during the mating season.

Variants and Related Words

• Unisex (Adjective): Designed for or suitable to both sexes. (Note: This is a distinct word often confused with 'unisexual'. 'Unisex' refers to things like clothing or facilities, not biological sex).
  • The salon offers unisex haircuts.
• Bisexual (Adjective, Biology): Having both male and female reproductive organs in a single individual; hermaphroditic.
• Dioecious (Adjective, Botany): Having male and female reproductive organs on separate individual plants.

Synonyms

• Gonochoristic (Adjective, Biology): A technical synonym meaning having separate sexes.
• Single-sex (Adjective): A more general term, often used for groups or institutions.

Antonyms

• Hermaphroditic (Adjective): Having both male and female reproductive organs.
• Bisexual (Adjective, Biology): Hermaphroditic.
• Monoecious (Adjective, Botany): Having both male and female reproductive organs on the same plant.

Adjective

1. relating to only one sex or having only one type of sexual organ; not hermaphroditic