macho

American  

[mah-choh] / ˈmɑ tʃoʊ /

adjective

1. having or characterized by qualities considered manly, especially when manifested in an assertive, self-conscious, or dominating way.

2. having a strong or exaggerated sense of power or the right to dominate.

---

noun

plural

machos

1. Also machoism assertive or aggressive manliness; machismo.

2. an assertively virile, dominating, or domineering male.

macho British  

/ ˈmætʃəʊ /

adjective

1. denoting or exhibiting pride in characteristics believed to be typically masculine, such as physical strength, sexual appetite, etc

---

noun

1. a man who displays such characteristics

MACHO Scientific  

/ mä′chō /

1. Short for massive astrophysical compact halo object. Any of various massive dark objects, such as a brown dwarf star, black hole, or large planet, found in a galactic halo. MACHOs are thought to make up at least a part of the dark matter that apparently pervades much of the universe.

---

macho Cultural  

1. The often exaggerated, aggressive virility of a male: “Jim likes to wear a torn T-shirt and a black leather jacket when he rides his motorcycle. I guess he thinks it makes him look macho.” The original Spanish word means “male.”

---

Other Word Forms

• antimacho adjective
• supermacho noun
• unmacho adjective

Etymology

Origin of macho

An Americanism first recorded in 1925–30; from Spanish: literally, “male,” from Latin masculus; male, masculine

Explanation

A man who's aggressively masculine can be described as macho. A boxer might try to intimidate his opponent by walking into the ring with a macho swagger. To be macho is to display a tough, fierce, overly confident facade. A man who's macho would never cry or sip a cup of tea or pet a kitten, because none of these things would be seen as "manly" enough. In Spanish, macho means "male animal," from the Latin root masculus, also "male," but also "worthy of a man."

Example Sentences

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s recruiting has famously used aggressive, macho memes to attract the Francises of the world.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

"These three men - and in particular Simon Spring - seem to be just living out their fantasies as enforcers of macho hard men who worked for shadowy organisations," said Roberts.

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026

Judy, the first rabbit to join the city's police force, has proven to her macho colleagues — buffaloes, hippos, and warthogs — that she deserves her place in the investigative department.

From Barron's • Nov. 25, 2025

A taste of the macho banter that powered “True West” and “Buried Child” might have clarified his particular force as a writer.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 4, 2025

Even today, when so much about the myth of the macho no longer concerns me, I cannot altogether evade such notions.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Related Words

• aggressive
• cocky
• manly
• masculine