masculine

1 of 2

adjective

mas·​cu·​line ˈma-skyə-lən 

1

a

: considered to be characteristic of men

stereotypically masculine traits/characteristics

masculine pride/bravado

Cady stands as a direct challenge to Bowden's masculine dominance—their first encounter in the film, for example, is when Cady shoves his hand into Bowden's car and turns off the ignition.

—Jamelle Bouie

: marked by or having qualities, features, etc. traditionally associated with men

a masculine voice

This one's a man's watch. And though it's built for rugged, masculine pursuits, the simple face and elegant strap lend it a suit-worthy elegance, too.

—advertisement in GQ

The masculine equivalent of haute couture in suits features jackets with soft shoulders, large sleeves, neat fronts and small-notched lapels …

—Ariel Wizman

b

: of, relating to, or being a man or boy

(dated) … the masculine [=male] inhabitants of the village …

—Thomas Hardy

The butler these days is seen as a masculine version of Heloise, Miss Manners and Julia Child rolled into one.

—Liz Pogue

also : of, relating to, or intended for men or boys

A hundred years later, the finery of French court dressing had given way to the simplicity of the English squire, whose coarse tweeds and woolens set the tone for a new definition of masculine attire.

—Frances Rogers

2

grammar : of, relating to, or constituting the gender (see gender entry 1 sense 1a) that ordinarily includes most words or grammatical forms referring to males as well as other words and forms either systematically or arbitrarily in the same category

The word for "cat" is feminine in German (die Katze) and masculine in Spanish (el gato).

3

a

poetry : being a stressed and usually additional final syllable after the final complete foot (see foot entry 1 sense 4)

a masculine ending

b

of rhyme : having a stressed final syllable

4

of a musical cadence : ending on an accented beat

The masculine cadence resolves on the first beat of the measure and is much more conclusive than the feminine.

—William Russo

masculinely adverb

compare feminine entry 1

masculine

2 of 2

noun

plural masculines

1

grammar

a

: a noun, pronoun, adjective, or inflectional form or class of the masculine gender (see masculine entry 1 sense 2)

b

: the masculine (see masculine entry 1 sense 2) gender

2

a

: the embodiment or conception of an idealized masculine nature

the power of the divine masculine

b

: the set of qualities, features, etc. traditionally associated with men

Like many of Campion's films, "The Power of the Dog" dramatizes a clash between the masculine and the feminine—Phil's own sense of manliness is bound up with emotional remoteness and animosity toward softness.

—Jordan Kisner

compare feminine entry 2

Synonyms

Adjective

• male
• manlike
• manly
• mannish
• man-size
• man-sized
• virile

Examples of masculine in a Sentence

Adjective

The living room is decorated in a more masculine style than the bedroom.

“He” is a pronoun of the masculine gender.

The masculine form of the Spanish adjective “linda” is “lindo.”

Noun

The masculine of the Spanish adjective “linda” is “lindo.”

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Available in masculine and feminine versions (the one featuring a horsewoman has a case encircled by diamonds), each comes in a numbered limited edition of six. —Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2024

And yet a crop of companies seem to believe that marketing the drugs to men, particularly middle-aged men, may require a slightly different, more stereotypically masculine approach. —Callie Holtermann, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2024

The pieces in the Spring/Summer capsule reveal a tropical essence with traditionally masculine silhouettes and early ‘00s aesthetics while intersecting styles that transcend beyond gender identities. —Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 27 Mar. 2024

In comparison, my grandmother was an exciting and inspirational figure who offered me a glimpse of what life could be for a woman freed from masculine or societal authority. —Lyn Slater, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Mar. 2024

Hindi and Urdu poetry has always seemed very masculine to me. —Vrinda Jagota, SPIN, 11 Mar. 2024

Within their rural, predominantly masculine culture that values stoicism and self-sufficiency, mental health and mental illness remain heavily stigmatized. —Sophia Liang, The Courier-Journal, 27 Feb. 2024

Most embroidery pattern books were written by men, and in rejecting these patterns (and sentiments), women exerted power and emotional authority, while treading the line between masculine authoritativeness and female passivity. —Pragya Agarwal, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024

The masculine performer stands in the background playing a pan flute. —Jonah Gercke, SPIN, 15 Mar. 2024

Noun

Her use of masculine, feminine, sport, and glamorous looks to define herself. —José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 15 Apr. 2024

Its distinctly punk packaging leans masculine, confounding health food packaging’s reputation of marketing towards its traditional audience of health nuts and women. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2024

Ilaria is a true artist and her pieces meld the worlds of masculine and feminine in the most effortless way. —Erika Veurink, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2024

In Native American society, two-spirit refers to someone considered to have both a masculine and a feminine spirit. —Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2024

For example, the Sapphire archetype reaches depicts enslaved women as aggressive, masculine, and unpleasant who presented in domineering ways on the field and at home. —Jasmine Browley, Essence, 3 Jan. 2024

While rosettes, metallics, and the color red are clearly going nowhere, a smattering of attendees also seemed particularly interested in mixing and matching the masculine and the feminine. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 15 Jan. 2024

Here, Biggers asks the viewer to examine the connection between the masculine and feminine, durable and delicate, eternal and ephemeral; while using his art testament to embrace the balance of life, regardless of its uncertainty. —Okla Jones, Essence, 20 Oct. 2023

Issa López Night Country pushes aside Pizzolatto’s trademark masculine brooding for a female-forward story that personalizes and internalizes the anthology’s typically convoluted plotting in a way that’s refreshing and frequently potent. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English masculin, from Latin masculinus, from masculus, noun, male, diminutive of mas male

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing masculine

• hyper-masculine

Kids Definition

masculine

1 of 2 adjective

mas·​cu·​line ˈmas-kyə-lən 

1

: of the male sex

2

: characteristic of or belonging to men : manly

a masculine voice

3

: of, relating to, or making up the class of words that ordinarily includes most of those referring to males

a masculine noun

masculine gender

masculinity

ˌmas-kyə-ˈlin-ət-ē 

noun

masculine

2 of 2 noun

1

: a word or form of the masculine gender

2

: the masculine gender

Medical Definition

masculine

adjective

mas·​cu·​line ˈmas-kyə-lən 

1

: male sense 1

2

: having the qualities distinctive of or appropriate to a male

3

: having a mannish bearing or quality