Word
Definition
n. a man or a boy, or a male animal. You can use this word to talk about the sex of a person or animal.
n. 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.”
Examples
simple
“The group has one male and three females.”
contextual
“The study compared the test scores of males and females in the same age group.”
complex
“In many bird species, the male displays brightly coloured plumage to attract a mate, a classic example of sexual selection driving evolutionary traits.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “male” in context.
Usage
When referring to people, 'male' as a noun can sound clinical or impersonal. In everyday conversation, 'man' or 'boy' is more common.
Etymology
* As a Welsh surname, from the personal name Mael, from Middle Welsh mael (“prince”). * As an English surname of Norman origin, contaminated from many Old French sources, such as mail (“hammer”), maille (“chainmail”), maille (“denier”), or esmal (“enamel”). Compare Mailer. * Also as an English surname, from Middle English male (“bag, pouch”). * Also as an English surname of Norman origin, from the source of male (“male, male adult”). * Also as an English surname, from Middle English mele (“meal, flour”) (compare Millman) or from Old Norse melr (“sandhill”). Compare Meil. As a Slovene surname, from the adjective mal (“small, little”), from Proto-Slavic malъ. Compare Mal, Mahle. * As a Norwegian surname, from a farm in Romsdal derived from Old Norse mǫl (“layer of pebbles”). Also Americanized from Mæle, Mæhle, itself related to the Norse word melr. Compare Mele.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/male
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0