men: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
A1Neutral (formal and informal); the collective meaning can be formal or dated.
Quick answer
What does “men” mean?
The plural form of 'man'.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The plural form of 'man'; adult human males.
Used broadly to refer to human beings collectively (historically and sometimes in formal contexts), to members of a group, a workforce ('the men on the ground'), or as a colloquial term of address among males.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or usage. The phrase 'the men' (as in 'the men in suits') is slightly more common in UK informal usage to refer to authority figures.
Connotations
In both, can carry connotations of traditional male roles, strength, or collective human endeavor. The generic use ('men have walked on the moon') is perceived as dated or non-inclusive in modern formal contexts in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely high and identical frequency in both varieties as a core vocabulary item.
Grammar
How to Use “men” in a Sentence
[ADJ] menmen of [NOUN PHRASE] (e.g., men of honour)men from [PLACE]men who [CLAUSE]Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"We need to get the men from marketing and sales in the same room." (refers to team members, may be gender-specific or generic).
Academic
"The study observed a cohort of 200 men aged 40-60." (gender-specific); "Throughout history, men have sought to understand the cosmos." (dated generic use).
Everyday
"I'm meeting the lads for a pint." / "I'm meeting the guys for a beer." (colloquial equivalents).
Technical
Used demographically (e.g., 'men in the control group') or in biology ('male specimens').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “men”
- Using 'mans' as a plural (incorrect).
- Pronouncing the singular 'man' and plural 'men' identically (they differ: /mæn/ vs /mɛn/).
- Overusing the generic 'men' in modern inclusive writing where 'people' or 'humans' is preferred.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Historically yes (e.g., 'mankind'), but in contemporary formal and inclusive language, it is often avoided in favour of 'people', 'humans', or 'humanity' to be gender-neutral.
The possessive is men's (e.g., the men's changing room). It is pronounced /mɛnz/.
They are irregular plurals from Old English, where the vowel changed (a process called umlaut). The vowel sound shifts from /æ/ in 'man' to /ɛ/ in 'men'.
They are still understood but are increasingly replaced by gender-neutral terms like 'police officers' and 'firefighters' in official and media contexts, especially in the US and UK.
The plural form of 'man'.
Men is usually neutral (formal and informal); the collective meaning can be formal or dated. in register.
Men: in British English it is pronounced /mɛn/, and in American English it is pronounced /mɛn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Men in black”
- “Men at work”
- “A man's man (plural extension: 'They're men's men')”
- “Separate the men from the boys”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
MEN = Many Everyman iNdividually. The word is short, like the word 'man', just with an 'e' changed. Think: One 'man', many 'm**e**n' (the 'a' becomes 'e').
Conceptual Metaphor
MANKIND IS MALE (in historical thought); STRENGTH/TOUGHNESS IS MASCULINE (e.g., 'be a man' extended to group: 'you men need to be strong').
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'men' used in a GENERIC (referring to all humans) sense?