gender
JEHN-duh
Gender (noun) means the state of being male, female, or another identity, often understood as bound up with social roles and personal identity, distinct from biological sex. Example: “The form asked for gender as well as sex.”
noun
1
The state of being male, female, or another identity, often understood as bound up with social roles and personal identity, distinct from biological sex.
"The form asked for gender as well as sex."
"Schools increasingly discuss gender identity with students."
"Applicants are chosen on skill, regardless of age, gender or background."
2
In grammar, a category — such as masculine, feminine, or neuter — that nouns and pronouns are sorted into in many languages.
"French nouns each have a grammatical gender, masculine or feminine."
"German has three genders, so learners must memorise each noun with its article."
"In Spanish, the gender of a noun affects the adjective that follows it."
verb
1
To assume, assign, or address someone as having a particular gender.
"Try not to gender every toy as being for either boys or girls."
"The form asks staff not to gender customers by guessing from their voice."
"People sometimes gender babies based on the color of their clothes."
How to use gender
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA person's identity as male, female, or otherwise, or (in grammar) the male/female/neuter classification of nouns.
Common mistake
Gender and sex are related but not identical: sex usually refers to biology, gender to identity and social role.
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Word forms
- Plural
- genders
- Third person singular
- genders
- Past tense
- gendered
- Comparative
- more gender
- Superlative
- most gender
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The form asked for _____ as well as sex.
Etymology
From Old French gendre, from Latin genus, "kind" or "type" — the same root that gave us genre and genus.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for gender
See all rhymes for gender →Frequently asked questions
What does “gender” mean?
The word “gender” means the state of being male, female, or another identity, often understood as bound up with social roles and personal identity, distinct from biological sex. In plain terms, a person's identity as male, female, or otherwise, or (in grammar) the male/female/neuter classification of nouns.
How do you pronounce “gender”?
“Gender” is pronounced JEHN-duh (/ˈd͡ʒɛndɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “gender” in a sentence?
Here is “gender” used in a sentence: “The form asked for gender as well as sex.”
What is another word for “gender”?
Words with a similar meaning to “gender” include biological sex, gendersex and voice.
What part of speech is “gender”?
Depending on how it is used, “gender” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “gender” come from?
The word “gender” comes from Latin. From Old French gendre, from Latin genus, "kind" or "type" — the same root that gave us genre and genus.
Is “gender” a common word?
“Gender” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “gender” have?
“Gender” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the state of being male, female, or another identity, often understood as bound up with social roles and personal identity, distinct from biological sex.
What is the difference between gender and genre?
Though they share a Latin root meaning 'kind,' the words differ in English. Gender concerns being male, female, or another identity. Genre means a category or style of creative work, such as a genre of film, music, or literature. Confusion arises partly because in French the word 'genre' means gender.
What does 'gender' mean in grammar?
In many languages, grammatical gender is a way of classifying nouns, often as masculine, feminine, or neuter. It affects the articles, adjectives, and endings used with a word. For example, French 'le' and 'la' mark masculine and feminine nouns. This grammatical sense is separate from gender as personal or social identity.
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