One of the most awkward things about contacting someone you've never met before is what title to use – especially if you don't know for sure if they're a 'Mrs', a 'Ms' or even a 'Mr'.

Writing 'Dear Sir/Madam' on a job application just doesn't cut it, but a new gender-neutral title could be about to solve all of your problems.

The word 'Mx' has been around in many forms since the 1970s, but last week it got an official entry in Dictionary.com, cementing its place in popular vocabulary.

According to the online entry, Mx "does not indicate gender and may be used by a person with any or no specific gender identity."

With Caitlyn Jenner's decision to go public with her transition from a man to a woman, transgender issues are finally getting a place in mainstream conversation.

But until now, there has been no one title that recognises just how complex the issue of gender identity can be.

Whether you identify as the gender you were born with, are transgender, gender fluid, or simply don't feel your gender is something that needs to be shouted from the rooftops, then the 'Mx' is a good compromise.

Of course, it also solves common social etiquette issues such as the Mrs/Miss/Ms dilemma. There's something about being called 'Miss' that instantly makes us feel about six years old, even if in some cases it is the correct title.

Dictionary.com editor Ben Zimmer welcomed the introduction of the new term, telling TIME magazine it was symbolic of "a real cultural shift in which people are talking more openly about gender."