male
male — adjective
1. belonging to or connected with men or boys rather than women or girls; having qu
belonging to or connected with men or boys rather than women or girls; having qualities that people often consider typical of men.
The male students at Christopher's school wear white shirts and blue trousers.
attributive use: male + noun (students)
Andrés thinks that showing emotion is not considered male behavior in his culture.
The hospital hired more male nurses to balance its staff.
Traditionally, nursing was not seen as a male career, but that view is changing.
用法筆記
Often used before a noun to specify the gender of a person (male student, male colleague). In this attributive position, male does not carry strong overtones of stereotyped masculinity — it simply states a fact about sex. Compare masculine, which emphasizes culturally expected traits.
常見錯誤
2. of the sex that makes tiny cells (sperm) which can join with a female egg to cre
of the sex that makes tiny cells (sperm) which can join with a female egg to create offspring, instead of carrying eggs or giving birth.
The male peacock spreads its colorful feathers to attract a mate.
animal sex distinction: male + species name
In most bird species, the male is more brightly colored than the female.
The zookeeper separated the male lion from the cubs for a health check.
The male seahorse carries the eggs in a pouch until the babies hatch.
- female
the opposite biological sex
用法筆記
This sense is the standard biological usage across both animals and humans. When used for humans, it can sound clinical or formal — in everyday conversation, 'male' as a noun may feel more technical than 'man' or 'boy'.
3. describing a plant or flower that produces pollen instead of seeds; having stame
describing a plant or flower that produces pollen instead of seeds; having stamens but not a pistil.
The gardener identified the male flowers by their long stamens covered in yellow pollen.
botanical structure: male flower + stamens + pollen
Some kiwi plants require both male and female vines growing close together to produce fruit.
The male catkin of the willow tree releases pollen into the wind each spring.
Cucumber plants produce separate male and female flowers on the same vine.
- staminate
the technical botanical term; very formal and rare outside science
- female
in plants, the flower that produces seeds or fruit
用法筆記
Distinguish from adj/2: this sense applies only to plants (flowers, trees, vines). The plant equivalent of 'male' does not involve sperm or fertilization in the animal sense — it simply produces pollen that reaches female flower parts.
4. describing a hardware component or fitting with a protruding section that insert
describing a hardware component or fitting with a protruding section that inserts into a matching recessed section (called the female part).
The male end of the USB cable plugs into the computer port on the side.
collocation: male end / male connector
Push the male connector into the socket until it clicks into place.
These pipes have a male thread that screws into the female wall fitting.
The cable's male plug connects directly to the back of the speaker.
- female
the corresponding hollow or recessed part that receives the male connector
用法筆記
Used primarily in electronics (cables, plugs, ports) and hardware (pipes, screws, fittings). The terms 'male' and 'female' describe how two parts physically connect. Distinguish from other senses — this is purely technical and has nothing to do with gender.
male — noun
1. a human whose biological role does not involve carrying a pregnancy — this term
a human whose biological role does not involve carrying a pregnancy — this term covers adult men and boys.
The survey asked participants to indicate whether they were male or female.
formal register: male/female on forms and surveys
Nikhil was the sole male in his cooking class but felt at ease.
The clinic provides health services for both males and females of all ages.
According to the report, young males are more likely to take risks in traffic.
The police described the suspect as a tall male in his late twenties.
- female
a woman or girl
用法筆記
Used as a noun, 'male' can sound clinical or formal. In everyday speech, 'man', 'boy', or 'guy' are more natural. 'Male' is common on official forms, in police reports, and in medical or statistical contexts.
常見錯誤
2. a creature that produces sperm to fertilize a female's eggs, rather than carryin
a creature that produces sperm to fertilize a female's eggs, rather than carrying eggs itself.
The males of this deer species grow antlers each spring and shed them in winter.
species-specific trait: males + antlers
In the aquarium the males are easy to spot — they are larger and brighter.
The male keeps the egg warm while the female hunts for food.
The farm bred two males and three females from the champion sheepdog line.
Vets tell males from females by the shell shape of a turtle.
- female
the opposite animal sex, which produces eggs or gives birth
用法筆記
Typically used in biological or zoological contexts. In general conversation about pets, people often say 'boy' instead (e.g. 'We have a boy cat and a girl cat').
3. the main city and administrative center of the Maldives, a nation spread across
the main city and administrative center of the Maldives, a nation spread across islands in the Indian Ocean.
Male is one of the most densely populated capital cities in the world.
proper noun use: Male (capital city)
Putri flew into Male International Airport and took a speedboat to her resort.
The local government of Male built a new hospital to serve the growing population.
Most international visitors pass through Male before heading to their island resort.
Scooters and trucks fill the narrow, busy streets of Male.
用法筆記
Distinguish this from the other senses — when capitalized and used as a proper noun, 'Male' (pronounced /ˈmɑːleɪ/) refers to the capital of the Maldives. Context usually makes the meaning clear.