men-children: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 (Very Rare / Archaic)Archaic, Literary, Biblical, Poetic
Quick answer
What does “men-children” mean?
Plural form of 'man-child', referring to male children or sons.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Plural form of 'man-child', referring to male children or sons.
An archaic, poetic, or biblical plural referring to male offspring, often emphasizing their lineage or relationship to a father/ancestor. Can imply 'descendants' in a male line.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally archaic and rare in both varieties. No significant difference in modern usage.
Connotations
Connotes antiquity, formality, biblical language, or epic poetry.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both. Slightly more likely to be encountered in British contexts due to older literary and religious texts, but not in contemporary use.
Grammar
How to Use “men-children” in a Sentence
[Possessive Pronoun/Noun Phrase] + men-childrenthe men-children + of + [Noun Phrase]Verb + the men-childrenVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Potentially in historical or literary analysis of archaic texts.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “men-children”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “men-children”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “men-children”
- Using it in modern writing.
- Writing it as 'man-childrens'.
- Pronouncing it as /mɛn 'tʃaɪldrən/ (with a separate stress on 'child').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic form. The standard modern plural is 'boys' or 'sons'.
The singular is 'man-child', which is also archaic and rare.
It's a fossilized compound. 'Men' is the archaic plural of 'man', and '-children' is the plural of 'child'. The word freezes this older pluralization pattern.
Primarily in the King James Version of the Bible (e.g., Exodus 1:16) and in works of literature that deliberately use archaic language, like some epic poetry.
Plural form of 'man-child', referring to male children or sons.
Men-children is usually archaic, literary, biblical, poetic in register.
Men-children: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɛnˌtʃɪldrən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɛnˌtʃɪldrən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms use this term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the plural of 'man' (men) stuck to the front of the plural of 'child' (children). It's a 'double plural' for a male child.
Conceptual Metaphor
LINEAGE IS A MALE CHAIN (the focus on 'men-children' conceptualizes family continuity through male descendants).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'men-children' be MOST appropriate today?