adj
Uncommon
masculine
MASK-yuu-lihn
Masculine (adj) means relating to men, or having qualities traditionally associated with men, such as strength or assertiveness. Example: “He had a deep, masculine voice.”
adj
1
Relating to men, or having qualities traditionally associated with men, such as strength or assertiveness.
"He had a deep, masculine voice."
"The advert leaned heavily on masculine imagery of rugged outdoor life."
"The shop sells a range of masculine fragrances with woody, spicy scents."
2
In grammar, belonging to the masculine gender class of nouns or adjectives in a given language.
"In French, "le livre" uses the masculine article."
"In Spanish, the word for "boy" is a masculine noun."
"Most masculine adjectives in Italian end in the letter o."
noun
1
The masculine grammatical gender, or a word belonging to it.
"The dictionary marks each noun as masculine or feminine."
How to use masculine
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes traits, grammar, or imagery associated with men.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
masculine energy
masculine noun
traditionally masculine
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like masculine.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- masculines
- Comparative
- more masculine
- Superlative
- most masculine
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He had a deep, _____ voice.
Etymology
From Old French masculin, from Latin masculinus, from masculus, "male."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for masculine
See all rhymes for masculine →Frequently asked questions
What does “masculine” mean?
The word “masculine” means relating to men, or having qualities traditionally associated with men, such as strength or assertiveness. In plain terms, describes traits, grammar, or imagery associated with men.
How do you pronounce “masculine”?
“Masculine” is pronounced MASK-yuu-lihn (/ˈmæskjələn/ in IPA).
How do you use “masculine” in a sentence?
Here is “masculine” used in a sentence: “He had a deep, masculine voice.”
What is another word for “masculine”?
Words with a similar meaning to “masculine” include macho, manly, masc, virile, Of a woman and butch.
What is the opposite of “masculine”?
The opposite of “masculine” — its antonyms — are androgynous and feminine.
What part of speech is “masculine”?
Depending on how it is used, “masculine” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “masculine” come from?
The word “masculine” comes from Latin. From Old French masculin, from Latin masculinus, from masculus, "male.".
Is “masculine” a common word?
“Masculine” is an uncommon word in modern English.
What is the difference between masculine and macho?
Masculine simply describes qualities or traits traditionally associated with men, such as strength or assertiveness, without a positive or negative connotation. Macho carries a more exaggerated, often critical implication of aggressive or overly assertive manliness.
How is masculine used in grammar?
In grammar, masculine refers to one of the noun or adjective gender classes found in many languages, such as French or Spanish, alongside feminine and sometimes neuter. A word's masculine form must often agree with other masculine words in the same sentence, such as articles and adjectives.
What is the opposite of masculine?
The opposite of masculine is feminine, which refers to qualities associated with women or the corresponding grammatical gender class. In grammar specifically, many languages also have a third, neuter class that is neither masculine nor feminine.
