adj. & n.
--adj.
1. of or characteristic of men.
2 manly, vigorous.
3 (of a woman) having qualities considered appropriate to a man.
4 Gram. of or denoting the gender proper to men's names.
--n. Gram. the masculine gender; a masculine word.
Derivatives:
masculinely adv. masculineness n. masculinity n.
Etymology: ME f. OF masculin -ine f. L masculinus (as MALE)