In English, some nouns have masculine (male) and feminine (female) forms, especially when referring to people and animals. While modern English often uses gender-neutral terms, learning these masculine and feminine nouns can help you understand older texts, formal writing, and common speech patterns.
In this article, we’ll explore masculine and feminine noun pairs, provide examples, and test your knowledge with a 10-question quiz at the end.
What Are Masculine and Feminine Nouns?
- Masculine nouns refer to male people or animals (e.g., king, actor, lion).
- Feminine nouns refer to female people or animals (e.g., queen, actress, lioness).
Some nouns do not change form and can be used for both genders (doctor, teacher, artist). Others have distinct masculine and feminine versions, as shown below.
List of Masculine and Feminine Nouns
| Masculine (Male) | Feminine (Female) |
|---|---|
| Actor | Actress |
| King | Queen |
| Prince | Princess |
| Husband | Wife |
| Father | Mother |
| Brother | Sister |
| Uncle | Aunt |
| Nephew | Niece |
| Son | Daughter |
| Waiter | Waitress |
| Host | Hostess |
| Hero | Heroine |
| Emperor | Empress |
| Duke | Duchess |
| God | Goddess |
Masculine and Feminine Nouns for Animals
| Masculine (Male) | Feminine (Female) |
|---|---|
| Lion | Lioness |
| Tiger | Tigress |
| Bull | Cow |
| Stallion (Horse) | Mare |
| Rooster | Hen |
| Ram (Sheep) | Ewe |
| Drake (Duck) | Duck |
| Gander (Goose) | Goose |
| Dog | Bitch |
| Fox | Vixen |
Gender-Neutral Nouns in Modern English
Many professions and roles no longer use gendered terms in modern English. Instead of saying:
- Actor / Actress → Actor (for both genders)
- Waiter / Waitress → Server
- Policeman / Policewoman → Police Officer
- Chairman / Chairwoman → Chairperson
Using gender-neutral terms is more common in professional and social settings today.
Masculine and Feminine Gender Quiz
1. What is the feminine form of “prince”?
a) Duchess
b) Queen
c) Princess
2. What is the masculine form of “actress”?
a) Actor
b) Host
c) Hero
3. What is the feminine form of “tiger”?
a) Tigress
b) Lioness
c) Cow
4. What is the masculine form of “goddess”?
a) Emperor
b) God
c) Duke
5. What is the feminine form of “waiter”?
a) Hostess
b) Waitress
c) Maid
6. What is the feminine form of “rooster”?
a) Hen
b) Ewe
c) Duck
7. What is the masculine form of “vixen”?
a) Tiger
b) Fox
c) Bull
8. What is the feminine form of “duke”?
a) Duchess
b) Queen
c) Countess
9. What is the masculine form of “cow”?
a) Rooster
b) Stallion
c) Bull
10. What is the feminine form of “hero”?
a) Heroine
b) Duchess
c) Princess
Quiz Answers
1) Princess
2) Actor
3) Tigress
4) God
5) Waitress
6) Hen
7) Fox
8) Duchess
9) Bull
10) Heroine
