noun
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the state or quality of being a man or being manly
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men collectively
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archaic the state of being human
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informal a euphemism for a man's genitalia
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of manhood
Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; see origin at man, -hood
Explanation
The word manhood describes both the adult period in a male human's life, and the qualities that make him a man. Some people believe that a boy reaches manhood when he hits puberty, while others maintain that manhood is based on becoming independent and responsible. Peter Pan just opted out. Teenage boys sometimes do dangerous things to "prove their manhood," like driving recklessly or getting in fights. It's not uncommon to equate manhood with "macho" characteristics and behavior, but the true proof of manhood lies in things like being a good father or becoming a responsible and caring adult. In the thirteenth century, manhood applied to both men and women, "state of being human," from the Old English man, "person."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Manhood was what you could get away with.
From Salon • Jun. 13, 2025
The idea of masculinity in crisis is as old as this country, as sociologist Michael Kimmel noted in his 1996 book, Manhood in America: A Cultural History, now in its fourth edition.
From Scientific American • Aug. 3, 2023
In 2008, Coates published his first book, the critically acclaimed memoir The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood.
From Textbooks • Dec. 21, 2021
Below, above the clock’s dial, figures depict the Ages of Man: Youth, Manhood, Old Age.
From Washington Post • Mar. 13, 2020
“You’ve drawn too much water from that well. Wait. Manhood is patience. Mastery is nine times patience. What is that herb by the path?”
From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
