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.
Maybe manhood is shifting from something we’re expected to earn to something we’re expected to perform.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
"Instead, we've left a void, one which has been filled with nefarious online actors peddling their own narratives surrounding what a successful manhood looks like."
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
“The American Crisis,” Mr. Kelly writes, “spoke to citizens’ fear and despair, but also to their anger, their sense of family, their feelings of manhood, duty, and pride.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
"It's almost like he is trying to reach for this glorified manhood that he cannot embody anymore," said Sabrina Karim, a political science professor at Cornell University.
From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026
He who had left them quick, in the prime of his manhood, author of their own fire and illumination, returned to them cold, already a bronzed statue.
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
