# male

/ˈmeɪɫ/ (US) · /mˈeɪl/ (UK) · CEFR A2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/male
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a man or a boy, or a male animal. You can use this word to talk about the sex of a person or animal.

For teachers: a person or animal of the sex that does not give birth to young. It is the counterpart to 'female'.

## Examples

- The group has one male and three females.
- The study compared the test scores of males and females in the same age group.
- In many bird species, the male displays brightly coloured plumage to attract a mate, a classic example of sexual selection driving evolutionary traits.

## Usage notes

- When referring to people, 'male' as a noun can sound clinical or impersonal. In everyday conversation, 'man' or 'boy' is more common.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.