masculine

American  

[mas-kyuh-lin] / ˈmæs kjə lɪn /

adjective

1. pertaining to or characteristic of a man or men.

   masculine attire.

2. having qualities traditionally ascribed to men, as strength and boldness.

   Synonyms:

   manly

3. Grammar. noting or pertaining to the gender of Latin, Greek, German, French, Spanish, Hebrew, etc., which has among its members most nouns referring to males, as well as other nouns, as Spanish dedo, “finger,” German Bleistift, “pencil.”

4. (of a woman) mannish.

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noun

Grammar.

masculines plural

1. the masculine gender.

2. a noun or other element in or marking that gender.

masculine British  

/ ˈmæskjʊlɪn /

adjective

1. possessing qualities or characteristics considered typical of or appropriate to a man; manly

2. unwomanly

3. grammar

   1. denoting a gender of nouns, occurring in many inflected languages, that includes all kinds of referents as well as some male animate referents

   2. ( as noun )

      German ``Weg'' is a masculine

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Synonym Usage

See male.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• hypermasculineness
  noun
• hypermasculinity
  noun
• masculineness
  noun
• masculinity
  noun
• nonmasculineness
  noun
• nonmasculinity
  noun
• supermasculinity
  noun
• hypermasculine
  adjective
• nonmasculine
  adjective
• pseudomasculine
  adjective
• supermasculine
  adjective
• ultramasculine
  adjective
• unmasculine
  adjective
• hypermasculinely
  adverb
• masculinely
  adverb
• nonmasculinely
  adverb
• unmasculinely
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• masculines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of masculine

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English masculin, from Latin masculīnus, equivalent to mascul(us) “male” ( mās “male” + -culus -cule ¹ ) + -īnus -ine ¹

Explanation

If something’s masculine, it’s related to men. When you hear a masculine voice outside greeting your neighbor, you know it’s your dad and not your mom. Masculine can describe people or things that have qualities often associated with men. If someone has a masculine appearance, the person is probably tall and strong. If your new jacket has masculine tailoring, that means it’s cut like a man’s jacket. Masculine can also refer to words. In many languages, words — especially nouns — are given a gender. If you’ve studied French or Spanish, you know you need to figure out which article to use with a masculine noun.

Example Sentences

It seems that when it comes to their perception in the workplace, Ms. O’Connell says, women can’t win: They’re criticized both for being too feminine and too masculine.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026

Dwayne Johnson’s performance in “The Smashing Machine,” for all the film’s flaws, cleverly reconciled the dissonance between the outward images of masculine power and internal feelings of self-loathing.

From Salon • May 27, 2026

Fiedler’s propositions about masculine relationships turned out to be merely the opening shocks in his critical investigations of our country’s literary past.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

For drag kings, who are usually assigned female at birth but play masculine characters, the art form is more than just a performance; it’s how they defy gender and cultural norms.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

This was the masculine Mr. Sedaris, who wrote knowingly of flesh wounds and tractor pulls.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Related Words

• macho
• male
• manful
• manlike
• manly
• virile