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gender

n. · v.
US //ˈdʒɛndɝ// UK //dʒˈɛndɐ// gen·der
  1. 1 social identity (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the social and cultural identity of being a man, a woman, or another identity.

    the state of being a man, woman, or non-binary person, typically in relation to social and cultural roles rather than biological ones.

    Example

    The survey asked for my age, gender, and occupation.

    Example

    Sociologists argue that gender is a social construct that varies significantly across different cultures and historical periods.

    Usage

    Often used in contrast with 'sex' to distinguish social identity from biological characteristics.
  2. 2 grammar (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic Science

    a way of grouping nouns into categories like masculine, feminine, or neuter.

    a grammatical category used to classify nouns, pronouns, and adjectives, often determining agreement between words in a sentence.

    Example

    In French, every noun has a gender, either masculine or feminine.

    Example

    The German language features three grammatical genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter, which dictate the form of the definite article.

    Usage

    In linguistics, this is often referred to as 'grammatical gender'.
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  1. 3 biological sex (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the physical category of being male or female.

    the classification of organisms as male or female based on reproductive functions.

    Example

    The doctor noted the gender of the baby during the ultrasound.

    Example

    While 'sex' is the preferred technical term in biology, 'gender' is frequently used as a synonym in medical and legal documents.

    Teacher's tip

    In modern academic contexts, using 'gender' to mean 'biological sex' is often discouraged to avoid confusion with social identity.
  2. 4 mechanical connectors (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Technical

    the classification of electrical or mechanical parts as 'male' or 'female' so they fit together.

    the property of matching connectors, where one part (male) fits into another (female) to create a connection.

    Example

    Check the gender of the cable before you buy the adapter.

    Example

    The technician ensured that the gender of the serial port matched the connector on the peripheral device.

  3. 5 to assign a category (v.)
    C1 Advanced Academic

    to treat someone or something as having a specific gender.

    to attribute a gender to a person, object, or concept; to perceive or address someone through the lens of gendered categories.

    Example

    Society often genders certain toys, like dolls for girls and trucks for boys.

    Example

    The author explores how the workplace is gendered through subtle language choices and traditional power structures.

    Usage

    Often used in the passive voice or as a participle (e.g., 'a gendered perspective').
Etymology 1

From Middle English gendre, borrowed from Old French gendre, borrowed from Latin genere (“type, kind”). Doublet of genre and genus. The verb developed after the noun.

Etymology 2

From Middle English gendren, genderen, from Middle French gendrer, from Latin generāre.

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Indonesian gender, from Javanese ꦒꦼꦤ꧀ꦢꦺꦂ (gendèr), from Old Javanese gĕnder.

Word family
Idioms2 entries

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