single-gender

The compound adjective "single-gender" is a modern formation, combining two words of distinct Latin lineages to describe a specific social concept. "Single" traces back to the Latin singulus, meaning "one alone" or "individual," emphasizing singularity. "Gender" originates from the Latin genus, meaning "kind" or "type," which evolved through Old French to acquire its specific meaning related to sex or social identity. The logical construction is transparent: "single" (one) modifies "gender" (kind/sex), literally meaning "of one kind/sex," which directly yields the modern meaning of being exclusive to or designed for one gender.

Structure: single (one) + gender (social/biological sex) - single: From Middle English, from Old French, from Latin singulus (single, one, separate). In this compound, it functions as an adjective meaning "one" or "only one". - gender: From Middle English gendre, from Old French gendre (genre), from Latin genus (birth, family, kind). In this compound, it functions as a noun referring to the state of being male or female, or a range of social identities.