The Gender of Nouns (Definition & Rules with Examples)


The word gender in English is taken from Latin (genus), which means kind or class. In the English language, the gender grammatical distinction corresponds with the natural difference of sex. Many languages around the world use gender. Gender in a language is just a way of classifying nouns into classes. They may refer to male or female. To decide which personal pronoun and which possessive determiner should be used instead of the noun going before the gender differentiation in such cases is relevant. For example

  • She found her phone.
  • She had been looking for it.
  • Here is her bag; take it away.
  • I think she had been looking for it.

All nouns in English fall into four gender groups.

Gender of Nouns (Definition & Rules with Examples)

What is Masculine Gender? Definition and Examples

The noun refers to male people or animals is known as masculine gender. We use them with the pronouns he, his, him.

Father, boy, bull, man, Mr. David, etc., are nouns of masculine gender.

What is Feminine Gender? Definition and Examples

The noun refers to female people or animals is known as feminine gender. We use them with the pronouns she, her, hers.

Sister, girl, heroine, woman, empress, etc., are nouns of feminine gender.

The Neuter Gender Nouns Definition and Examples

Things that have no apparent gender (lifeless things) are called neuter. In some exceptional cases, we associate the neuter gender with children and small animals. For example

  • My son loves his little cat and cannot do without it.
  • I saw a black dogIt was running across the road.
  • The horse fell and broke its leg.
  • When we saw the baby, it was crying.

Nouns refer to abstract notions, and inanimate objects also fall in the category of neuter gender.

Examples of Nouns of neuter gender are

  • Chair
  • Table
  • Pen
  • Book
  • Mobile
  • Stone
  • Box
  • House
  • Glass

The Common Gender Nouns

A noun that refers to either male or female is called common gender.

Examples of Common gender are

  • Baby
  • Student
  • Scientist
  • Doctor
  • Parents
  • Dancer
  • Manager
  • Engineer
  • Singer
  • Friend
  • Speaker
  • Rider
  • Reporter
  • Cousin
  • Journalist

Rules of Forming the Feminine from Masculine Gender

We can distinguish the genders of nouns using three ways.

Firstly, we are employing an entirely different word to form the feminine.

MasculineFeminine
ManWoman
BoyGirl
BoarSow
HusbandWife
KingQueen
UncleAunt
WizardWitch
SonDaughter
BrotherSister
FatherMother
ColtFilly
HeroHeroine
TutorGoverness
BullCow
DogBitch
MonkNun
MallardWild Duck
Horse or stallionMare
BachelorSpinster
YouthMaiden
LadLass
BuckDoe
FoxVixen
GanderGoose
DrakeDuck
TomcatTabby Cat
LordLady
LadLass
NephewNiece
WidowerWidow
Bride-groomBride
SirMadam
PapaMama
RamEwe
RoosterHen
Bullock or steerHeifer
Mr.Mrs.
TailorDressmaker
GentlemanLady
SultanSultana
SignorSignora

Forming Feminine Gender Using Suffixes

In a second way, the suffix “-ess,” “ix,” “en,” “in” is added to the masculine gender to form its feminine.

Masculine Feminine
AbbotAbbess
AuthorAuthoress
ActorActress
HunterHuntress
PoetPoetess
GodGoddess
GovernorGoverness
FounderFoundress
InstructorInstructress
GiantGiantess
PrincePrincess
PeerPeeress
PriestPriestess
ProphetProphetess
ProtectorProtectress
PatronPatroness
ConductorConductress
TigerTigress
HostHostess
ShepherdShepherdess
SorcererSorceress
SongsterSongstress
DirectorDirectress
DauphinDauphiness
DeaconDeaconess
ManagerManageress
MasterMistress
WaiterWaitress
EmperorEmpress
StewardStewardess
LionLioness
DukeDuchess
CountCountess
MarquessMarchioness
MayorMayoress
Negronegress
BaronBaroness
AmbassadorAmbassadress
MurdererMurderess
BenefactorBenefactress

By placing a feminine word before or after a masculine

Masculine Feminine
GrandfatherGrandmother
Boy cousinGirl cousin
BoyfriendGirlfriend
ManservantWoman servant
MilkmanMilkmaid
LandlordLandlady

The sun, time, winter, summer, dawn, morn, and death are made masculine. The moon, the earth, the night is feminine.


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