Masculine Gender: Rules, Word Lists and Examples for Students

In English grammar, gender is divided into three main types: masculine, feminine and neuter. The masculine gender refers to words used for male people and male animals. Understanding masculine gender is important because it helps students use the correct words while writing, speaking or reading English. It is also a common topic in school exams and is useful for improving everyday grammar skills.

This page brings together everything a student needs: what masculine gender actually means, the rules that govern how masculine words change into their feminine forms, complete word lists across people, titles, professions and animals, a set of masculine gender and feminine gender 50 examples, and thorough practice exercises with answers.

 

Table of Contents

• What is Masculine Gender?
• Masculine Gender and Feminine Gender: How They Relate
• Masculine Gender and Feminine Gender Examples: Complete Comparison Table
• Masculine Gender and Feminine Gender 50 Examples
• Practice Exercise on Masculine Gender
• Frequently Asked Questions on Masculine Gender

 

What is Masculine Gender?

The masculine gender refers to any noun or pronoun that is used to refer to people and animals classified as male. The masculine gender is defined as 'those words relating to, or constituting, the gender that ordinarily includes most words or grammatical forms referring to males', and according to the Oxford Learner's Dictionary, it includes words 'belonging to a class of words that refer to male people or animals and often have a special form'.

Masculine Gender Noun Rules

Most masculine nouns are words for male people or male animals. Some change their form to show gender, while others use totally different words. Understanding these rules helps you switch between masculine gender and feminine gender terms confidently.

Changing Masculine to Feminine Gender

Many masculine words have special ways to form the feminine. Here are the main rules:

• Use a different word: hero → heroine, king → queen, uncle → aunt
• Add -ess: actor → actress, lion → lioness, host → hostess
• Change part of a compound: step-brother → step-sister, grandfather → grandmother

There are some exceptions, so always check a list if unsure.

Examples of Masculine Gender

Masculine gender words are used to talk about boys, men, or male animals. They show that the person or animal is male. For example, words like 'father', 'king', 'lion' and 'rooster' are all masculine. Let's look at some more examples of masculine gender in people, animals, titles and professions.

A. People and Relations

• Man
• Boy
• Father
• Son
• Brother
• Husband
• Uncle
• Nephew
• Gentleman
• Bachelor
• Bridegroom
• Godfather
• Stepbrother
• Stepfather
• Grandfather

B. Titles and Positions

• King
• Prince
• Emperor
• Duke
• Baron
• Mayor
• Lord
• Master
• Sir
• Monk
• Sultan
• Czar (Tsar)
• Hero
• Wizard

C. Animals (Masculine Forms)

• Lion
• Tiger
• Bull
• Ox
• Horse (Stallion)
• Colt (young male horse)
• Jack (male donkey)
• Ram (male sheep)
• Billy goat (male goat)
• Buck (male deer)
• Gander (male goose)
• Drake (male duck)
• Rooster (Cock)
• Dog
• Fox
• Boar (male pig)
• Drone (male bee)
• Peacock
• He-goat

D. Professions and Roles (Traditional Masculine Terms)

• Actor
• Waiter
• Host
• Landlord
• Policeman
• Salesman
• Fisherman
• Workman
• Horseman

 

Masculine Gender and Feminine Gender: How They Relate

Grammatical gender in English works as a system of pairs. Every masculine gender word exists in relation to a feminine gender counterpart, and understanding one category clearly requires understanding the other alongside it.

This is why masculine gender and feminine gender are almost always taught together rather than in isolation. A student who learns that 'king' is masculine but never learns that 'queen' is its feminine pair has only learnt half of the concept. Throughout this page, every masculine gender word is presented with its matching feminine form so that the relationship between the two categories stays clear and easy to remember.

 

Masculine Gender and Feminine Gender Examples: Complete Comparison Table

The following table presents masculine gender and feminine gender examples side by side across people, titles and animals, making the pairing between the two categories immediately clear.

 

Masculine Gender	Feminine Gender
Man	Woman
Boy	Girl
Father	Mother
Son	Daughter
Brother	Sister
Husband	Wife
Uncle	Aunt
Nephew	Niece
Gentleman	Lady
Bachelor	Spinster
Bridegroom	Bride
King	Queen
Prince	Princess
Emperor	Empress
Duke	Duchess
Host	Hostess
Hero	Heroine
Lion	Lioness
Tiger	Tigress
Bull	Cow
Stallion	Mare
Rooster (Cock)	Hen
Gander	Goose
Drake	Duck
Ram	Ewe
Actor	Actress

 

Masculine Gender and Feminine Gender 50 Examples

The following expanded list provides masculine gender and feminine gender 50 examples for thorough revision and exam preparation.

 

No.	Masculine Gender	Feminine Gender
1	Man	Woman
2	Boy	Girl
3	Father	Mother
4	Son	Daughter
5	Brother	Sister
6	Husband	Wife
7	Uncle	Aunt
8	Nephew	Niece
9	Grandfather	Grandmother
10	Stepfather	Stepmother
11	Stepbrother	Stepsister
12	Gentleman	Lady
13	Bachelor	Spinster
14	Bridegroom	Bride
15	Godfather	Godmother
16	King	Queen
17	Prince	Princess
18	Emperor	Empress
19	Duke	Duchess
20	Baron	Baroness
21	Sultan	Sultana
22	Czar (Tsar)	Czarina
23	Lord	Lady
24	Sir	Madam
25	Hero	Heroine
26	Wizard	Witch
27	Monk	Nun
28	Host	Hostess
29	Actor	Actress
30	Waiter	Waitress
31	Lion	Lioness
32	Tiger	Tigress
33	Bull	Cow
34	Ox	Heifer
35	Stallion	Mare
36	Colt	Filly
37	Jack (donkey)	Jenny
38	Ram	Ewe
39	Billy goat	Nanny goat
40	Buck	Doe
41	Gander	Goose
42	Drake	Duck
43	Rooster (Cock)	Hen
44	Boar	Sow
45	Dog	Bitch
46	Drone	Queen bee
47	Peacock	Peahen
48	He-goat	She-goat
49	Fox	Vixen
50	Policeman	Policewoman

 

Practice Exercise on Masculine Gender

A. Select the suitable noun for each blank from the given list. Change its gender and write it in the blank:

1. The peacock is our national bird. It stands for pride and beauty.
2. The tiger is our national animal. It stands for bravery, strength and power.
3. The cow is grazing on the bank of the river.
4. The cock crows early in the morning every day.
5. The emperor had twenty sons.
6. The rich uncle sent a handsome present to me.
7. The letter began, 'Dear Sir'.
8. The duke is eighty years old.
9. The gander hissed at the children.
10. The hunter shot the huge tiger.
11. Prince walked in the garden in the evening.
12. The drake swam on the pond.
13. I am afraid of red bulls.
14. The wool on the ram was white as snow.
15. The actor was really good.
16. I gave my nephew 10 taka.
17. To hunt a buck is not allowed in Bangladesh.
18. The mouse came to the lion.

Answers:

1. The peahen is our national bird. It stands for pride and beauty.
2. The tigress is our national animal. It stands for bravery, strength and power.
3. The bull is grazing on the bank of the river.
4. The hen crows early in the morning every day.
5. The empress had twenty sons.
6. The rich aunt sent a handsome present to me.
7. The letter began, 'Dear Madam'.
8. The duchess is eighty years old.
9. The goose hissed at the children.
10. The hunter shot the huge tigress.
11. Princess walked in the garden in the evening.
12. The duck swam in the pond.
13. I am afraid of red cows.
14. The wool on the ewe was white as snow.
15. The actress was really good.
16. I gave my niece 10 taka.
17. Hunting a doe is not allowed in Bangladesh.
18. The mouse came to the lioness.

B. Complete each sentence by using a noun of the opposite gender to that in bold type:

1. Farmer Moti keeps two bulls and eight ___________.
2. The drake swam on the pond while the ___________ waddled round the farmyard with her little ones.
3. A record price was paid for the ___________ and the cows.
4. The wool on the ewe was thicker than that on the ___________.
5. The Prince and ___________ are on holiday.
6. There were three puppies; one bitch and three ___________.
7. The red deer had antlers; the ___________ had none.
8. Last year we made a visit to our uncle and ___________ in Narsingdi.

Answers:

1. Cows
2. Duck
3. Bull
4. Ram
5. Princess
6. Dogs
7. Doe
8. Aunt

C. Change the gender of each noun in the following sentences and rewrite them:

1. The king gave away all his wealth to a poor woman.

Answer: The queen gave all her wealth to a poor man.

2. The huntress aimed at the buck and shot an arrow.

Answer: The hunter aimed at the doe and shot an arrow.

3. My uncle sent me a beautiful birthday present.

Answer: My aunt sent me a beautiful birthday present.

4. Mother bought a special sweet dish for the guests.

Answer: Father bought a special sweet dish for the child.

5. On seeing a heifer, the tigress growled loudly.

Answer: On seeing a bullock, the tiger growled loudly.

6. The wedding of my niece is tomorrow.

Answer: The wedding of my nephew is tomorrow.