MASCULINITY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does masculinity mean? 

• MASCULINITY (noun)
  The noun MASCULINITY has 2 senses:

1. the properties characteristic of the male sex

2. the trait of behaving in ways considered typical for men

  Familiarity information: MASCULINITY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MASCULINITY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The properties characteristic of the male sex

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

maleness; masculinity

Hypernyms ("masculinity" is a kind of...):

gender; sex; sexuality (the properties that distinguish organisms on the basis of their reproductive roles)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "masculinity"):

virility (the masculine property of being capable of copulation and procreation)

Derivation:

masculine (associated with men and not with women)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The trait of behaving in ways considered typical for men

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("masculinity" is a kind of...):

trait (a distinguishing feature of your personal nature)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "masculinity"):

manfulness; manliness; virility (the trait of being manly; having the characteristics of an adult male)

boyishness (being characteristic of a boy)

machismo (exaggerated masculinity)

hoydenism; tomboyishness (masculinity in women (especially in girls and young women))

Antonym:

femininity (the trait of behaving in ways considered typical for women)

Derivation:

masculine (associated with men and not with women)

 Context examples 

Their masculinity, which in itself is of the brute, has been over-developed.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)