genderlect

G2E1N1D2E1R1L1E1C3T1

noun

A dialect associated with a particular gender.

Scrabble 14

Meanings

noungenderlect (plural genderlects)

plural genderlects

  1. A dialect associated with a particular gender.

    The men who interact with Tenar, including men who speak in the Old Speech, use a genderlect that shows their dominance and superiority.

    2001, Laura B. Comoletti, Michael D. C. Drout, “How They Do Things with Words: Language, Power, Gender, and the Priestly Wizards of Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea Books”, in Children's Literature, volume 29, →DOI, page 125
    2 more examples

    Hiatt has no doubt about the existence of a distinct 'feminine style' or genderlect and even offers a theory of how it arose, which is that the male world of action 'emphasizes events and decisions rather than perceptive observations of people'.

    2002, Harold Love, “Gender and authorship”, in Attributing Authorship: An Introduction, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 119

    The purpose of genderlect theory is to understand the language used by men and women. The first study in genderlect theory is exploring how gender-language patterns are always limiting between women and men. Further research begins with a focus on how different gender language patterns are used by women and men in both written and spoken results.

    2017 September, Tatik Irawati, “Analysis of Genderlect Style in Pygmalion”, in Journal of English Education, Lingusitics, and Literature, volume 4, number 1, page 19

    Synonyms: genderspeak

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA dialect associated with a particular gender.

Also see

Origin

From gender + -lect. Coined by American linguist Wayne Dickerson in 1974.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

genderlect. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/genderlect

MLA

“genderlect.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/genderlect. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “genderlect,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/genderlect.

Source: genderlect on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.