unisexual

Unisexual is an adjective used in multiple fields with related but distinct meanings. Etymologically, it comes from uni- meaning one and sexual referring to sex or sexuality.

In biology and botany, unisexual describes organisms, flowers, or populations that involve only one sex. Many dioecious species have separate male and female individuals, and many plants bear unisexual flowers that are either staminate (male) or pistillate (female). In such systems, reproduction requires interaction between individuals of opposite sexual types. By contrast, bisexual or hermaphroditic organisms possess both male and female reproductive structures.

In zoology and ecology, the term can refer to reproductive or gametic characteristics that are restricted to one sex, and it is often used in contrast to bisexual, monoecious, or hermaphroditic conditions. The term helps describe patterns of sex determination, reproduction, and population structure in a range of organisms, including insects, plants, and vertebrates.

In human sexuality, unisexual has occasionally appeared in literature and discussions to describe individuals whose sexual attraction is exclusive to a single gender. It is not a standard term in contemporary sexology; more precise descriptors such as heterosexual or homosexual are typically preferred. When used, it should be clarified by specifying the target gender (for example, attraction to one sex) to avoid ambiguity.