masculinity

noun

mas·​cu·​lin·​i·​ty ˌma-skyə-ˈli-nə-tē 

: the quality or nature of the male sex : the quality, state, or degree of being masculine or manly

challenging traditional notions about masculinity and femininity

… a style which alternates between a polished grace and blunt masculinity.

—Stuart Keate

The man controlling his environment is today the prevailing American image of masculinity.

—Susan Faludi

Synonyms

• machismo
• macho
• manhood
• manliness
• virility

Examples of masculinity in a Sentence

some men believe that wearing pink would undermine their masculinity

Recent Examples on the Web

What unfolds is a two-person dialogue on the subject of fragile masculinity. —Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025

Normalizing emotional vulnerability and seeking help among men without fear of judgment or loss of masculinity is an essential step in reframing the conversation. —Essence, 22 Mar. 2025

Drawn by the promise of easy money and a world of hyper masculinity, Jonathan starts to lose control. —Annika Pham, Variety, 21 Mar. 2025

But Levinson and Pileggi never capture the depths of men at war with their own sense of masculinity or who are battling their distorted view of morality. —Armond White, National Review, 21 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing masculinity

• hyper-masculinity

Rhymes for masculinity

• alkalinity
• consanguinity
• crystallinity
• femininity
• affinity
• divinity
• infinity
• salinity
• vicinity
• virginity

Medical Definition

masculinity

noun

mas·​cu·​lin·​i·​ty ˌmas-kyə-ˈlin-ət-ē 

plural masculinities

: the quality, state, or degree of being masculine

measurement of masculinity or femininity

—Psychological Abstracts