# male

Pronunciation: say "MAYL" /meːl/

## Adjective

1. Belonging or relating to the sex that typically produces sperm, or to the gender associated with it, including what governs its development, as male hormones.
   - Simple: Belonging or relating to boys, men, or the sex that makes sperm, as in 'male hormones'.
   - _Census data showed a slightly larger male population in that region._
   - _In many fish, the male parent protects the eggs until they hatch._
4. Having or showing features regarded as characteristic of the male sex or gender.
   - Simple: Having features thought to be typical of males, whether men, boys or male animals.
   - _The portrait emphasized a strong, male jawline._
   - _Critics found the novel's tone aggressively male._
5. Of connectors, tools, or fittings: designed to fit into or penetrate a matching female counterpart.
   - Simple: Used about a plug, pipe or part made to fit into a matching female part.
   - _The technician screwed the male fitting onto the garden hose._
   - _Each male plug slides cleanly into its matching port._

## Noun

2. A human being belonging to the masculine sex or gender, such as a boy or man.
   - Simple: A human being who is a boy or a man.
   - _In some countries, every male over eighteen must register for military service._
   - _Researchers noted that males in the group reported symptoms later._
3. An animal or plant of the male sex.
   - Simple: An animal or plant that is male, not female.
   - _Breeders selected the strongest male for mating._
   - _In many bird species, the males display bright plumage._
6. A connector, pipe fitting, or similar part designed to fit into a female counterpart.
   - Simple: A plug or part shaped to fit into a matching female piece.
   - _The plumber threaded the male into the female socket on the valve._
   - _Sort the hose fittings into males and females before assembling the rig._

## Other meanings

- (adjective) In grammar, of or belonging to the masculine grammatical gender; a less common synonym of masculine.
- (adjective) Of a bacterium: having the F factor and able to transfer DNA to another bacterium that lacks it.
- (noun) A bacterium that possesses the F factor and can therefore transfer DNA to another cell.

## Origin

Latin mās ("male, masculine") had the diminutive masculus ("masculine, a male"), which became Old French malle or masle (modern French mâle). Middle English borrowed it as male, and it took the place of the native Old English wǣpned. Macho comes from the same source, so it is a doublet.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/male (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).