Cady stands as a direct challenge to Bowden's masculine dominance—their first encounter in the film, for example, is when Cady shoves his hand into Bowden's car and turns off the ignition. Jamelle Bouie
: marked by or having qualities, features, etc. traditionally associated with men
a masculine voice
This one's a man's watch. And though it's built for rugged, masculine pursuits, the simple face and elegant strap lend it a suit-worthy elegance, too. advertisement in GQ
The masculine equivalent of haute couture in suits features jackets with soft shoulders, large sleeves, neat fronts and small-notched lapels … Ariel Wizman
b
: of, relating to, or being a man or boy
(dated) … the masculine[=male] inhabitants of the village … Thomas Hardy
The butler these days is seen as a masculine version of Heloise, Miss Manners and Julia Child rolled into one. Liz Pogue
also: of, relating to, or intended for men or boys
A hundred years later, the finery of French court dressing had given way to the simplicity of the English squire, whose coarse tweeds and woolens set the tone for a new definition of masculine attire. Frances Rogers
2
grammar: of, relating to, or constituting the gender (see genderentry 1 sense 1a) that ordinarily includes most words or grammatical forms referring to males as well as other words and forms either systematically or arbitrarily in the same category
The word for "cat" is feminine in German (die Katze) and masculine in Spanish (el gato).
3
a
poetry: being a stressed and usually additional final syllable after the final complete foot (see footentry 1 sense 4)
a masculine ending
b
of rhyme: having a stressed final syllable
4
of a musical cadence: ending on an accented beat
The masculine cadence resolves on the first beat of the measure and is much more conclusive than the feminine. William Russo
: the embodiment or conception of an idealized masculine nature
the power of the divine masculine
b
: the set of qualities, features, etc. traditionally associated with men
Like many of Campion's films, "The Power of the Dog" dramatizes a clash between the masculine and the feminine—Phil's own sense of manliness is bound up with emotional remoteness and animosity toward softness. Jordan Kisner
Adjective The living room is decorated in a more masculine style than the bedroom. “He” is a pronoun of the masculine gender. The masculine form of the Spanish adjective “linda” is “lindo.” Noun The masculine of the Spanish adjective “linda” is “lindo.”
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The protagonist’s ability to forge a compromise comes from developing a balance between masculine and feminine qualities. Stephen Humphries, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Aug. 2022 That enforcement of the binary leaves out a lot of people who identify somewhere on the spectrum, as well as those looking for something different than conventionally feminine or masculine cuts. Kalle Oskari Mattila, Vogue, 13 Aug. 2022 With the help of stylist Elizabeth Stewart, Olsen balanced the feminine and masculine vibes of the look with stiletto sandals by Jimmy Choo. Alexis Gaskin, Glamour, 26 Apr. 2022 One couple reverses the traditional gender roles — the wife being aggressive and masculine, the husband languorous and feminine.Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2021 The Lovers: Temptation, commitment, balancing masculine and feminine energy, being at a crossroads and needing to make a clear choice, partnerships (romantic or business). Meghan Rose, Glamour, 19 July 2022 Keovorabouth, who uses they/them pronouns, is Diné from the Navajo Nation and identifies as Nadleeh, which means a balance of masculine and feminine energies to the Diné peoples. Jarrette Werk, oregonlive, 4 July 2022 Her energy was different: masculine and commanding and brazen. Daniella Kallmeyer, Vogue, 11 June 2022 The McLaren partnership is noticeable through small accents using materials that the company uses in its race cars giving the bag a masculine and bold look. Ramsey Qubein, Forbes, 5 June 2022
Noun
The most important thing for me is to feel strong and confident and bring out the masculine and feminine in my personality. Irene Kim, Vogue, 2 Sep. 2022 Lauder for Men from Estee Lauder comes in a sophisticated bottle and features a scent described as masculine, woodsy, and herbaceous.The Salt Lake Tribune, 6 June 2022 In 1979, the names began alternating between masculine and feminine. Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022 Many world languages, like French, make every noun either masculine or feminine.New York Times, 1 Aug. 2022 Our favorite part is the product’s masculine and woody scent, characterized by notes of sage, bergamot, and patchouli.The Salt Lake Tribune, 30 Mar. 2022 For the men, everyday athletic looks from shorts paired with a button down and sweater, to suits in olive green, yellow, turquois, and red give for fun looks with masculine tailoring and cuts. Allyson Portee, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2021 Popular social media feeds like League Fits, Protrending or GQ Sports highlight WNBA players walking into games wearing ensembles that go between masculine and feminine or casual to dressy.Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2022 Bradfield also worked on Mr. Bubble, a diaphanous, pink, masculine-presenting figure with skinny arms that graced boxes and bottles of the bubble bath. Susan Orlean, The New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Noun
Middle English masculin, from Latin masculinus, from masculus, noun, male, diminutive of mas male