man
A1Neutral (though specific uses can be formal, informal, or dated)
Definition
Meaning
An adult male human being.
A human being of either sex; human kind in general. Can also refer to an adult male possessing qualities like strength or courage, a male employee or servant, or one's husband or boyfriend. In plural ('men'), can refer to the personnel of an organization, especially military or ship's crew.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word operates on a spectrum from the specific (adult male human) to the generic (humanity). Its generic use (e.g., 'man has explored space') is often replaced by more inclusive terms like 'humanity' or 'people' in modern formal contexts. The vocative 'man!' is informal (US) or dated (UK).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term 'man' for a male servant or employee (e.g., 'the milkman') is more dated in both but persists slightly longer in UK titles (e.g., 'insurance man'). The plural 'men' for a group of workers (e.g., 'the removal men') is common in UK; US might use 'guys' or 'crew' more informally. 'Man' as a casual address ('Hey, man') is more common and neutral in US; in UK it can sound dated or deliberately American-influenced.
Connotations
In both, 'be a man' carries connotations of stoicism/strength. The generic 'man' for humanity is more frequently critiqued and avoided in modern academic/professional AmE.
Frequency
Equally high-frequency in both, but specific collocational frequencies vary (e.g., 'police officer' vs. 'policeman').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Man the [noun: station/booth/barricades] (verb)A man of [noun: honour/letters/action]The [adjective: average/common] manVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A man of his word”
- “Man's best friend”
- “Man about town”
- “Every man for himself”
- “Man up!”
- “Man in the street”
- “To a man”
- “Man and boy”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Often in compounds: 'middleman', 'spokesman', 'salesman'. Increasingly replaced by neutral terms: 'representative', 'salesperson'.
Academic
Generic use ('the ascent of man') is now often replaced by 'humans', 'humanity', or 'human beings' to avoid gender bias.
Everyday
Widely used for adult males. Informal vocative 'man' is common in US English.
Technical
In military/naval contexts: 'man a post', 'man the lifeboats'. In space/engineering: 'man a mission', 'manned spacecraft'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We need volunteers to man the information desk.
- The ship was manned by a skeleton crew.
American English
- We have to man the phones during the fundraiser.
- The station was fully manned during the emergency.
adverb
British English
- He faced the challenge manfully.
- (Archaic/dated) 'Speak man to man.'
American English
- He took the criticism manfully.
- (Archaic/dated) 'Let's settle this man to man.'
adjective
British English
- He's very man-about-town these days.
- It was a real man-sized breakfast.
American English
- That's a man-cave if I've ever seen one.
- She gave him a man-hug.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- That man is my teacher.
- He is a good man.
- The man has a blue car.
- A tall man asked me for directions.
- Her husband is a kind man.
- The men are playing football in the park.
- He proved himself to be a man of integrity under pressure.
- They had to man the emergency hotline throughout the night.
- Is this product really designed for the average man?
- The generic use of 'man' to denote humanity is often seen as archaic in scholarly texts.
- The outpost was manned by a small team of researchers braving the harsh climate.
- He navigated the corporate world with the shrewdness of a seasoned man of business.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
The word 'man' contains 'an', which is what he is - an adult male human.
Conceptual Metaphor
MAN IS A FORCE (man a station), MAN IS THE STANDARD (man-sized portion), MAN IS THE AGENT OF CONTROL (man overboard).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'мужчина' for all instances of 'man' – e.g., 'Man has landed on the moon' is about humanity, not a male individual. The Russian 'человек' is often the correct equivalent in generic contexts.
- The plural 'men' does not always correspond to 'мужчины'. In 'ship's men', it means 'crew' (команда).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'man' as a generic term in formal writing where 'people' or 'humans' is preferred.
- Overusing informal synonyms ('guy', 'dude') in formal contexts.
- Confusing 'old man' (father/husband) with just 'elderly man'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the verb form of 'man' most appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In modern formal and academic writing, it is often considered dated and potentially exclusionary. Terms like 'humankind', 'humanity', or 'people' are preferred for inclusivity.
'Man' is singular (one adult male). 'Men' is the plural form, referring to more than one adult male. It can also refer collectively to male personnel (e.g., 'the officer and his men').
Yes. To 'man' something means to staff or operate it, typically with people. It is used for stations, phones, equipment, or vehicles (e.g., 'man the battle stations'). The past tense is 'manned'.
It is neutral. Its formality depends on context. 'Sir' is more formal for direct address. The generic 'man' (for humanity) is formal but dated. As a casual address ('Hey, man'), it is informal.
Collections
Part of a collection
Family Members
A1 · 44 words · Words for family, people and relationships at home.