manhood

noun

man·​hood ˈman-ˌhu̇d 

1

: the condition of being a human being

2

: qualities associated with men : manliness

3

: the condition of being an adult male as distinguished from a child or female

4

: adult males : men

5

: penis

Synonyms

• machismo
• macho
• manliness
• masculinity
• virility

Examples of manhood in a Sentence

He took the comment as a challenge to his manhood.

He grew from boyhood to manhood in a small southern town.

the manhood of a nation

Recent Examples on the Web

In the 1990s, a vandal chopped off the Ranch Club stallion’s, um, manhood. —Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 2 Jan. 2025

The plan thankfully never gets very far, but the Monster begins showing his affection for the Guide by detaching his manhood and gifting it to her. —Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 16 Dec. 2024

Rather than condemning manhood outright, Seidler advocates for therapists to work with, rather than against, stereotypically masculine traits like stoicism, protectiveness, and problem-solving. —Celia Ford, Vox, 3 Dec. 2024

But after talking about his time with Palmer on the golf course, Trump discussed the golf legend’s manhood and how other players would react to Palmer in the showers. —Scott Thompson, Fox News, 22 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing manhood

• prove one's manhood

Kids Definition

manhood

noun

man·​hood ˈman-ˌhu̇d 

1

: courage, manliness

2

: the condition of being an adult male

3

: adult human males

the manhood of a nation