
Many languages have a system of grammatical gender, which classifies nouns according to whether they denote male or female people or animals.
However, some words show the opposite of their natural sex; for example, large machines like ships are masculine, and so are some animals.
In English, gender distinctions are based on the noun and its modifiers. Pronouns, adjectives and some personal titles are assigned a masculine or feminine form. The sex of the noun or noun phrase that the noun replaces is also taken into account. For example, it is important to know that the pronoun he is a masculine word and the pronoun she is a feminine word.
The relationship between biological sex and grammatical gender is less precise in the case of animals. For instance, a cheetah and a zebra can both be un guepardo (masculine) or una cebra (feminine), depending on their biological sex.
Most nouns are associated with a certain gender, based on their underlying meaning and attributes. Depending on the language and culture, this association can be explicit or implicit.
Generally, nouns that denote living objects are assigned a grammatical gender in relation to the biological sex of the animal or person concerned. This is particularly the case in languages such as English that have retained the distinction between masculine and feminine, Vulgar Latin, most Romance languages, Baltic languages, some Celtic languages and Hindustani.
In other languages, a distinction between masculine and feminine has disappeared entirely or merged into a common gender, as in Swedish and Danish and to some extent Dutch. The grammatical gender of a noun influences the modifications that it undergoes when inflected for number and case. For example, the German word See can be either masculine or feminine, but if it is masculine then it takes the genitive form Seen; however, if it is feminine, it takes the genitive form Se.
In English, masculine nouns usually refer to male animals or objects that are traditionally associated with men. They also appear in some occupations, such as actor and waiter, and in personal titles like sir and father. Feminine nouns, on the other hand, refer to female animals or objects that are traditionally associated with women. They also appear in some occupations, including teacher and student.
100 Examples of Masculine and Feminine Gender
- Actor – Actress
- Uncle – Aunt
- King – Queen
- Father – Mother
- Boy – Girl
- Brother – Sister
- Prince – Princess
- Man – Woman
- Nephew – Niece
- Husband – Wife
- Son – Daughter
- Sir – Madam
- Gentleman – Lady
- Male – Female
- Heir – Heiress
- Hero – Heroine
- Monk – Nun
- Emperor – Empress
- Duke – Duchess
- Lion – Lioness
- Bull – Cow
- Cock – Hen
- Dog – Bitch
- Gander – Goose
- Tiger – Tigress
- Fox – Vixen
- Horse – Mare
- Stallion – Filly
- Peacock – Peahen
- Ram – Ewe
- Wizard – Witch
- Landlord – Landlady
- Poet – Poetess
- Waiter – Waitress
- Host – Hostess
- God – Goddess
- Actor – Actress
- Count – Countess
- Czar – Czarina
- Prophet – Prophetess
- Murderer (man) – Murderer (woman)
- Bridegroom – Bride
- Bachelor – Spinster
- Father-in-law – Mother-in-law
- Stepfather – Stepmother
- Godfather – Godmother
- Policeman – Policewoman
- Salesman – Saleswoman
- Congressman – Congresswoman
- Sportsman – Sportswoman
- Businessman – Businesswoman
- Fisherman – Fisherwoman
- Milkman – Milkwoman
- Headmaster – Headmistress
- Manservant – Maidservant
- Emperor – Empress
- Host – Hostess
- Master – Mistress
- Manager – Manageress
- Mayor – Mayoress
- Steward – Stewardess
- Sultan – Sultana
- Traitor – Traitress
- Viscount – Viscountess
- Negro – Negress
- Instructor – Instructress
- He – She
- His – Her
- Fatherhood – Motherhood
- Horseman – Horsewoman
- Uncle – Aunt
- Lad – Lass
- Giant – Giantess
- Godson – Goddaughter
- Sir – Dame
- Man-child – Girl-child
- Rooster – Hen
- Drake (Duck) – Duck
- Buck (Deer) – Doe
- Tomcat – Queen (cat)
- Boar – Sow
- Hart – Hind
- Billy (goat) – Nanny (goat)
- Jack (donkey) – Jenny
- Stag – Hind
- Colt – Filly
- Fox – Vixen
- Kingfisher (bird) – Queenfisher
- Cowherd – Milkmaid
- Friar – Nun
- Man – Wife
- Governor – Governess
- Master – Miss
- Lad – Lassie
- Father – Step-mother
- Host – Hostess
- Monk – Nun
- Patron – Patroness
- Author – Authoress
- Seamster – Seamstress.
Examples of Masculine and Feminine Gender in Humans
- Man – Woman
- Boy – Girl
- Gentleman – Lady
- He – She
- Lad – Lass
- Bachelor – Spinster
- Bridegroom – Bride
- Godfather – Godmother
- Godson – Goddaughter
- Sir – Madam
- Master – Mistress
- Fatherhood – Motherhood
- Negro – Negress
- Lad – Lassie
- Man-child – Girl-child
- Friar – Nun
- Monk – Nun
- Wizard – Witch
- Giant – Giantess
- Hero – Heroine
Examples of Masculine and Feminine Gender in Animals
- Lion – Lioness
- Tiger – Tigress
- Fox – Vixen
- Dog – Bitch
- Bull – Cow
- Cock – Hen
- Ram – Ewe
- Horse – Mare
- Stallion – Filly
- Peacock – Peahen
- Gander – Goose
- Buck (Deer) – Doe
- Boar – Sow
- Jack (Donkey) – Jenny
- Tomcat – Queen (cat)
- Hart (Deer) – Hind
- Billy (Goat) – Nanny (Goat)
- Colt – Filly
- Rooster – Hen
- Drake (Duck) – Duck
Examples of Masculine and Feminine Gender in Relationship
- Father – Mother
- Brother – Sister
- Son – Daughter
- Uncle – Aunt
- Nephew – Niece
- Husband – Wife
- Stepfather – Stepmother
- Father-in-law – Mother-in-law
- Grandfather – Grandmother
- Cousin (male) – Cousin (female)
Examples of Masculine and Feminine Gender Profession and Titles
- Actor – Actress
- Waiter – Waitress
- Host – Hostess
- Steward – Stewardess
- Poet – Poetess
- Landlord – Landlady
- Policeman – Policewoman
- Salesman – Saleswoman
- Businessman – Businesswoman
- Congressman – Congresswoman
- Sportsman – Sportswoman
- Manager – Manageress
- Mayor – Mayoress
- Sultan – Sultana
- Traitor – Traitress
- Duke – Duchess
- Emperor – Empress
- Count – Countess
- Instructor – Instructress
- Author – Authoress
- King – Queen
- Heir – Heiress
- Czar – Czarina
- Prophet – Prophetess
- Governor – Governess
- Patron – Patroness
- Cowherd – Milkmaid
- Seamster – Seamstress
- Headmaster – Headmistress
- Manservant – Maidservant