male

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B1 — Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes (ova)
  2. noun a person who belongs to the sex that cannot have babies
  3. noun the capital of Maldives in the center of the islands

Etymology

From Middle English male, borrowed from Old French malle, masle (Modern French mâle), from Latin masculus (“masculine, a male”), diminutive of mās (“male, masculine”). Doublet of macho. Displaced native Old English wǣpned (“male”, literally “weaponed”).

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