Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The character of being male.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The condition of being male; masculinity.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the properties characteristic of the male sex

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

male +‎ -ness

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Examples

  • In her opinion, maleness is a bit like Jiffy Pop — put the thing on the stove, give it a shake now and then to keep it from overheating, and voilà: let's eat!

    Boys Will Be Boys 2005

  • In her opinion, maleness is a bit like Jiffy Pop — put the thing on the stove, give it a shake now and then to keep it from overheating, and voilà: let's eat!

    Boys Will Be Boys 2005

  • These persons who lack in maleness always ally themselves with women who possess the quality in which they are deficient, and between the two the proper complement is established.

    The Psychology of the Suffragette 1910

  • I do agree that masculinity should be under as close scrutiny and analysis as feminity, and I believe it’s important to acknowledge the ways in which maleness is constructed and defined to keep power in male hands.

    women’s studies vs critical gender studies « Love | Peace | Ohana 2007

  • We have also seen ways that what might be called maleness can make it more difficult for women to express themselves.

    Feminist Philosophy of Language Saul, Jennifer 2007

  • The fag, who accepts his maleness, that is, his passivity and total sexuality, his femininity, is also best served by women being truly female, as it would then be easier for him to be male, feminine.

    The S.C.U.M. Manifesto 1967

  • Thus the evidence at the RHD offices indicated the need for reinforcement of the notion of maleness associated with the word, not, as M&S suggest, a trend toward epicenism.

    VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol XV No 2 1984

  • Male children in societies that demonize or debase women must overemphasize their "maleness" in order to separate from the shameful female/mother.

    Archive 2009-04-01 Dr. Sanity 2009

  • Quoting Kalu Rinpoche: "There is no such thing as the intrinsic nature of one person's mind being better than someone else's, on the ultimate level the empty clear and unimpeded nature of mind exhibits no limiting qualities such as maleness or femaleness, superiority or inferiority." p 137The lama was talking about whether women could become enlightened, but it was those last words that struck me.

    Cave in the Snow 2009

  • The study determined that women did not hold senior positions largely because of the intrinsic "maleness" of the newsroom and journalism practice, as a result of a male hegemonic society.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 2006

Comments

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  • 'Men,' she said, 'contaminate everything with maleness' . . .

    Farides in 'The Troublesom Offspring of Cardinal Guzman' by Louis de Berniéres.

    April 9, 2010