masculine

M3A1S1C3U1L1I1N1E1
UK/ˈmæskjʊlɪn/UK/ˈmæskjələn/

adjective

Of or pertaining to the male gender.

““John”, “Paul”, and “Jake” are masculine names.”

Less commonScrabble 13

Meanings

adjectivemasculine (comparative more masculine, superlative most masculine)

comparative more masculine · superlative most masculine · alternative abbreviation m. · alternative abbreviation m

  1. Of or pertaining to the male gender.
  2. Of or pertaining to the male sex; biologically male, not female.

    Synonyms: male · Antonyms: female, womanly

  3. Belonging to males; typically used by males.

    “John”, “Paul”, and “Jake” are masculine names.

  4. Having the qualities stereotypically associated with men: virile, aggressive, not effeminate; manly.

    […] a masculine church.

    1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI)
    1 more example

    That lady, after her husband's death, held the reins with a masculine energy.

    1818, Henry Hallam, View of the state of Europe during the Middle ages

    Synonyms: manly, virile · Antonyms: effeminate, emasculated, epicene, unmanly

  5. Of, pertaining or belonging to the male grammatical gender, in languages that have gender distinctions.
    1. grammarBeing of the masculine class or grammatical gender, and inflected in that manner.

      The noun Student is masculine in German.

      Synonyms: male

    2. grammarBeing inflected in agreement with a masculine noun.

      German uses the masculine form of the definite article, der, with Student.

      Synonyms: male

  6. Mongolic languagesgrammarHaving the vowel harmony of a back vowel.
  7. human sciencesFollowing or ending on a stressed syllable.

    Masculine caesura, masculine catalexis, masculine ending, masculine rhyme.

nounmasculine (plural masculines)

plural masculines · alternative abbreviation m. · alternative abbreviation m

  1. grammarThe masculine gender.

    The masculine functions as the negative term in the opposition, i.e. when the gender is not defined, the masculine is used.

    2009, Carlos Quiles, Fernando López-Menchero, A Grammar of Modern Indo-European, Second Edition
  2. grammarA word of the masculine gender.

    As to the class to which the masculines of the strong declension belong, we repeat that […]

    1905, George Theodore Dippold, A German grammar for high schools and colleges
  3. That which is masculine.

    These forces would also seem to reflect the gender distinction that can be made with respect to the divine, the feminine associated with the divine as immanent within the finite and the masculine with the divine transcendence and the infinite.

    2004, Leonora Leet, The Universal Kabbalah
  4. obsoletepossiblyrareA man.

    I think women, at least those who do their own work, would live very simply in that respect, if there were none of the masculines to feed.

    1868, The Ladies' Repository, A Universalist Monthly Magazine For The Home Circle. Volume XXXIX [39], page 458 (left column)

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveOf or pertaining to the male sex; biologically male, not female.

Similar

adjectiveHaving the qualities stereotypically associated with men: virile, aggressive, not effeminate; manly.

adjectiveBeing of the masculine class or grammatical gender, and inflected in that manner.

Similar

adjectiveBeing inflected in agreement with a masculine noun.

Similar
Broader

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivemale (of grammatical gender)

adjectiveassociated with men and not with women

Opposite

adjective(music or poetry) ending on an accented beat or syllable

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinmasculīnus
  2. Old Frenchmasculin
  3. Middle Englishmasculyne
  4. Englishmasculine

From Middle English masculyne, masculyn, from Old French masculin, from Latin masculīnus, diminutive of masculus (“male, manly”), itself a diminutive of mās (“male”). Displaced native Old English werlīċ (literally “manly”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἄρσην, ἀρσενικός
  • ἄρσην (ársēn)of the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • ἀρσενικός (arsenikós)grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
Arabic ذَكَرِيّ, مُذَكَّر
  • ذَكَرِيّ (ḏakariyy)of the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • مُذَكَّر (muḏakkar)grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • مُذَكَّر (muḏakkar)(grammar) the masculine gender
Bengali পৌরুষেয়, পুংলিঙ্গ
  • পৌরুষেয় (pōuruśeẏo)of the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • পুংলিঙ্গ (puṅliṅgo)(grammar) the masculine gender
Bulgarian мъ́жки, мъжки
  • мъ́жки (mắžki)of the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • мъжки (măžki)belonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • мъ́жки (mắžki)grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • мъжествен (măžestven)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • мъ́жки род (mắžki rod)(grammar) the masculine gender
Catalan masculí, masculí
  • masculíof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • masculíbelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • masculígrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • masculíhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • virilhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
Chinese Cantonese 陽性 /阳性
  • 陽性 /阳性(grammar) the masculine gender
Chinese Mandarin 男的, 男性的
  • 男的 (nán de)of the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • 男性的 (nánxìng de)of the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • 男的 (nán de)belonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • 男性的 (nánxìng de)belonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • 陽性的 /阳性的 (yángxìng de)grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • 男性的 (nánxìng de)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • 男子氣的 /男子气的 (nánzǐqì de)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • 男子漢的 /男子汉的 (nánzǐhàn de)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • man (mān)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • 陽性 /阳性 (yángxìng)(grammar) the masculine gender
Czech mužský, mužský
  • mužskýof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • mužskýgrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • mužskýhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • mužnýhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • mužský rod(grammar) the masculine gender
  • maskulinum(grammar) the masculine gender
Danish mandlig, maskulin
  • mandligof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • maskulinbelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • hankøns-grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • maskulinhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • mandighaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • maskulinum(grammar) the masculine gender
  • hankøn(grammar) the masculine gender
Dutch mannelijk, mannelijk
  • mannelijkof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • mannelijkbelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • mannelijkgrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • mannelijkhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • masculinum(grammar) the masculine gender
Esperanto malina, malina
  • malinaof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • malinagrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • virgenro(grammar) the masculine gender
  • maskuleno(grammar) the masculine gender
Estonian meessoost, mehelik
  • meessoostof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • mehelikbelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • maskuliinnegrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • mehelikhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • maskuliinnehaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • maskuliinum(grammar) the masculine gender
  • meessugu(grammar) the masculine gender
  • maskuliin(grammar) a word of the masculine gender
Finnish miespuolinen, miehinen
  • miespuolinenof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • miehinenof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • miestenbelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • miehinenbelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • maskuliininengrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • maskuliini-grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • miehekäshaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • maskuliininenhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • maskuliini(grammar) the masculine gender
French masculin, masculin
  • masculinof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • masculinbelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • masculingrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • masculinhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • masculin(grammar) the masculine gender
German männlich, männlich
  • männlichof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • männlichgrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • maskulingrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • männlichhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • maskulinhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • Maskulinum(grammar) the masculine gender
  • maskulines Genus(grammar) the masculine gender
  • männliches Geschlecht(grammar) the masculine gender
Greek αρσενικός, ανδρικός
  • αρσενικός (arsenikós)of the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • ανδρικός (andrikós)belonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • αρσενικός (arsenikós)grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • ανδρικός (andrikós)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • αρσενικός (arsenikós)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • ανδροπρεπής (androprepís)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • αρσενικό γένος (arsenikó génos)(grammar) the masculine gender
  • αρσενικό (arsenikó)(grammar) the masculine gender
Hebrew זכר, זָכָר
  • זכר (zakhar)grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • זָכָר (zakhár)(grammar) the masculine gender
Hindi पौरुषेय, मर्द
  • पौरुषेय (pauruṣey)of the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • मर्द (mard)of the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • पौरुषेय (pauruṣey)belonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • पुल्लिंग (pulliṅg)grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • पौरुषेय (pauruṣey)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • मर्दाना (mardānā)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • पुल्लिंग (pulliṅg)(grammar) the masculine gender
  • मुज़क्कर (muzakkar)(grammar) the masculine gender
Hungarian hímnemű, hím
  • hímneműof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • hímof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • férfi-belonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • hímneműgrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • férfiashaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • hímnem(grammar) the masculine gender
  • hímnemű alak(grammar) a word of the masculine gender
Icelandic karlkyns-, karlkyn
  • karlkyns-grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • karlkyn(grammar) the masculine gender
Indonesian maskulin, maskulin
  • maskulinof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • maskulinbelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • maskulingrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • maskulinhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • gender maskulin(grammar) the masculine gender
  • jenis kelamin laki-laki(grammar) the masculine gender
  • maskulin(grammar) the masculine gender
Irish fearúil, firinscneach
  • fearúilof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • firinscneachgrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • fearúilhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • firinscne(grammar) the masculine gender
Italian mascolino, maschile
  • mascolinoof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • maschilebelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • maschilegrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • masculinohaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • maschile(grammar) the masculine gender
  • genere maschile(grammar) the masculine gender
Japanese 男らしい, 男の
  • 男らしい (otokorashii)of the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • 男の (otoko no)of the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • 男性の (dansei no)belonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • 男性 (dansei)grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • 男性的な (danseiteki na)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • 男性 (dansei)(grammar) the masculine gender
Korean 남자다운, 남자의
  • 남자다운 (namjadaun)of the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • 남자의 (namjaui)belonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • 남성 (namseong)grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • 남자 같은 (namja gateun)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • 남성 (namseong)(grammar) the masculine gender
Latin mās, masculīnus
  • māsof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • masculīnusof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • masculusof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • masculīnusgrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • masculīnushaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • masculushaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • masculīnum(grammar) the masculine gender
  • genus masculīnum(grammar) the masculine gender
Latvian vīrišķīgs, vīrišķs
  • vīrišķīgsof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • vīrišķsof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • vīriešuof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • vīrišķīgsbelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • vīrišķsbelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • vīriešubelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • vīriešu dzimtesgrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • vīrišķīgshaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • vīrišķshaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • vīriešuhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • vīriešu dzimte(grammar) the masculine gender
Lithuanian vyriškas, vyriškas
  • vyriškasof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • vyriškasgrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • vyriškashaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • vyriškoji giminė(grammar) the masculine gender
Malay ragam maskulin, jantina lelaki
  • ragam maskulin(grammar) the masculine gender
  • jantina lelaki(grammar) the masculine gender
Māori tāne, whakatāne
  • tāneof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • whakatānehaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • tānehaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
Norwegian Bokmål maskulin, mandig
  • maskulinof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • mandigof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • hankjønngrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • maskulingrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • maskulinhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • mandighaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • hankjønn(grammar) the masculine gender
  • maskulinum(grammar) the masculine gender
  • hankjønnsord(grammar) a word of the masculine gender
  • maskulinum(grammar) a word of the masculine gender
Persian نر, مردانه
  • نر (nar)of the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • مردانه (mardâna)belonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • مردانه (mardâna)grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • مردانه (mardâne)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
Polish męski, męski
  • męskiof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • męskibelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • męskigrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • męskihaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • rodzaj męski(grammar) the masculine gender
Portuguese macho, masculino
  • machoof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • masculinobelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • masculinogrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • machohaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • homemhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • masculino(grammar) the masculine gender
Punjabi ਪੁਲਿੰਗ
  • ਪੁਲਿੰਗ (puliṅg)grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
Romanian masculin, masculin
  • masculinof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • masculinbelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • masculingrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • masculinhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • bărbăteschaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • virilhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • gen masculin(grammar) the masculine gender
  • masculin(grammar) the masculine gender
Russian мужско́й, мужско́й
  • мужско́й (mužskój)of the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • мужско́й (mužskój)belonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • мужско́й (mužskój)grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • мужско́й (mužskój)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • мужеподо́бный (mužepodóbnyj)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • маскули́нный (maskulínnyj)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • му́жественный (múžestvennyj)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • мужско́й род (mužskój rod)(grammar) the masculine gender
Scottish Gaelic fireann
  • fireanngrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
Slovak mužský, mužský
  • mužskýof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • mužskýbelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • chlapčenskýbelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • mužskýgrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • mužnýhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • mužský rod(grammar) the masculine gender
  • maskulínum(grammar) the masculine gender
  • slovo mužského rodu(grammar) a word of the masculine gender
Spanish masculino, masculino
  • masculinoof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • masculinobelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • masculinogrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • masculinohaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • varonilhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • virilhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • machohaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • hombrunohaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
Swedish manlig, manlig
  • manligof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • manligbelonging to males; appropriated to, or used by, males
  • maskulingrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • maskulinhaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • manlighaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • maskulinum(grammar) the masculine gender
Tamil ஆண்பால்
  • ஆண்பால் (āṇpāl)(grammar) the masculine gender
Thai เพศชาย
  • เพศชาย (pêet-chaai)(grammar) the masculine gender
Turkish eril, eril
  • erilof the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • erilgrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • erkeksihaving male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • erkil(grammar) the masculine gender
  • maskülin(grammar) the masculine gender
  • müzekker(grammar) the masculine gender
Ukrainian чолові́чий, чолові́чий
  • чолові́чий (čolovíčyj)of the male sex; biologically male, not female; manly
  • чолові́чий (čolovíčyj)grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • чолові́чий рід (čolovíčyj rid)(grammar) the masculine gender
Urdu مُذَکَّر, مردانہ
  • مُذَکَّر (muẕakkar)grammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • مردانہ (mardāna)having male qualities, not feminine or effeminate
  • مُذَکَّر (muzakkar)(grammar) the masculine gender
Vietnamese giống đực, giống đực
  • giống đựcgrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner
  • giống đực(grammar) the masculine gender
Welsh gwrywaidd
  • gwrywaiddgrammar: being of the masculine class, being inflected in the masculine manner

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

masculine. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/masculine

MLA

“masculine.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/masculine. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “masculine,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/masculine.

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