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• Butch
  Butch

  noun

  a male given name.

butch

¹ American  

[booch] / bʊtʃ /

noun

1. Slang.

   1. a woman or girl, especially one who is LGBTQ+, who embraces identity markers such as clothing, hairstyle, interests, or behaviors that are associated with traditional expressions of masculinity.

      I settled down with a nice butch and am happily married

   2. a gay man who embraces identity markers that are associated with normative expressions of masculinity.

   3. any person who adopts a masculine appearance, manner, or persona.

2. Informal. butch haircut.

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adjective

1. Slang.

   1. (of a girl or woman, especially one who is LGBTQ+) having identity markers usually associated with traditional expressions of masculinity.

      This shirt brand is very popular with my butch lesbian friends.

   2. (of a boy or man) decidedly masculine in manner or appearance.

Butch ² American  

[booch] / bʊtʃ /

noun

1. a male given name.

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butch British  

/ bʊtʃ /

adjective

1. (of a woman or man) markedly or aggressively masculine

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noun

1. a lesbian who is noticeably masculine

2. a strong rugged man

Etymology

Origin of butch

First recorded in 1940–45; apparently from the proper name

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

butch Butch

With their flamboyant costumes and choreography, the group became a pop culture phenomenon, targeting disco's large gay audience with camp fantasy characters of butch builders, bikers, cowboys and soldiers.

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

"My sexuality has no bearing on whether I look girly, or whether I'm butch or whatever I present myself to be," she said.

From BBC ● Feb. 15, 2026

So, is it possible to butch up vegetables?

From Salon ● Feb. 3, 2024

Roxane Gay: I read “Stone Butch Blues” when I was 17, and it was the first time I saw anything resembling butch identity.

From New York Times ● Jun. 22, 2023

Besides I shouted so las’ dight that I cudd’t talk butch eddy how!”

From Within Prison Walls being a narrative during a week of voluntary confinement in the state prison at Auburn, New York by Thomas Mott Osborne

There are some beauty shots of the city, and then a shot of a Checker cab pulling up to Butch McGuire’s bar on Division Street.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Offensive line coach Butch Barry must quickly figure out his unit’s direction, as Week 1 of the regular season is less than a month away and Biadasz’s health status appears discouraging.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Their head coach Butch Jones was working late when his tight ends coach came into his office and said: "I keep hearing about this player. I think he's special, there's something different about him."

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

Popcorn and movies—as intertwined as Laurel and Hardy, Fred and Ginger, Butch and Sundance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026

Butch was in a hurry because he had to go out to Natividad to auction a small herd of white-face Herefords for the Tavernettis.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• manly
• masculine