Masculine of Nouns starting with 'M'

The masculine of Maharani is Maharaja.

Rule: These are royal titles from the Indian subcontinent, derived from Sanskrit.

Definitions:

• A Maharani is a queen or princess in India, or the wife of a Maharaja.
• A Maharaja is a ruling prince in India.

Examples:

• The Maharaja of Jaipur lived in a magnificent palace.
• Gayatri Devi, the Maharani of Jaipur, was known for her beauty and style.

The masculine of Maid or Maidservant is Manservant.

Modern Usage: These terms are largely outdated. Gender-neutral terms like Cleaner, Housekeeper, or Domestic Helper are used today.

Note: The word 'maid' can also mean a young unmarried woman (maiden), in which case the masculine could be 'bachelor'.

Examples:

• In the Victorian novel, the maidservant polished the silver.
• The wealthy bachelor employed a manservant to act as his valet.

The masculine of Mama / Mamma is Papa.

Rule: These are informal, affectionate terms for a mother and father.

Examples:

• The little girl called out for her mama.
• "Ask your papa if you can go," she said.

The masculine of Manageress is Manager.

Modern Usage: The term "Manageress" is archaic. Manager is the standard common gender noun for anyone who manages a business, department, or team.

Examples:

• The bank is hiring a new branch manager. (Neutral)
• She was promoted to shift manager last week.

The masculine of Marchioness is Marquess (or Marquis).

Rule: These are titles in the British peerage, ranking above an Earl and below a Duke.

Examples:

• The Marquess of Bath resides at Longleat House.
• The Marchioness wore a stunning diamond tiara.

The masculine of Masseuse is Masseur.

Rule: These terms are borrowed from French. "Masseur" is masculine; "Masseuse" is feminine.

Modern Usage: The gender-neutral term is Massage Therapist.

Examples:

• The athlete hired a masseur to help with his sore muscles.
• She trained to be a licensed masseuse.
• I have an appointment with my massage therapist tomorrow. (Neutral)

The masculine of Mater is Pater.

Rule: These are Latin words for "mother" and "father". They are used in English, often humorously or in formal, old-fashioned contexts (like British boarding schools).

Example:

• "I shall have to ask the pater for more funds," said the schoolboy.
• His mater was the head of the household.

The masculine of Matriarch is Patriarch.

Rule: The prefixes "matri-" (from Latin *mater*, mother) and "patri-" (from Latin *pater*, father) denote the gender.

Definitions:

• A Matriarch is a woman who is the head of a family or tribe.
• A Patriarch is a man who is the head of a family or tribe.

Examples:

• The family's venerable patriarch made the final decision.
• She was the powerful matriarch of a sprawling dynasty.

The masculine of Mayoress is Mayor.

Important Note: The roles are not equivalent. A "Mayor" is the elected head of a city or town. A "Mayoress" is traditionally the wife of a male mayor, who performs ceremonial duties. A woman who is elected head of a city is called the Mayor.

Modern Usage: Mayor is a common gender noun for the elected official.

Examples:

• The new Mayor of London is a woman. (Correct modern usage)
• The Mayoress hosted a charity event at the town hall. (Wife of the Mayor)

The masculine of Mermaid is Merman.

Rule: The gender is specified by the root word ("maid" for a woman, "man" for a man).

Examples:

• The sailors claimed to have seen a beautiful mermaid on the rocks.
• In the fantasy story, the king of the sea was a powerful merman.

The masculine of Milkmaid is Milkman.

Modern Usage: These roles are now rare. A more neutral term would be Dairy Worker.

Definitions:

• A Milkmaid was a girl or woman who milked cows and did dairy work.
• A Milkman was a man who delivered milk to people's homes.

Examples:

• The painting depicted a milkmaid carrying a pail.
• The milkman used to leave glass bottles on the doorstep.

The masculine of Millionairess is Millionaire.

Modern Usage: The term "Millionairess" is considered very dated. Millionaire is the standard common gender noun for any person whose assets are worth one million pounds or dollars or more.

Examples:

• She became a self-made millionaire before the age of thirty. (Neutral)
• An anonymous millionaire donated the money for the new hospital wing.

The masculine of Mistress is Master.

Rule: This is a traditional pair with diverging meanings.

Definitions:

• Mistress: Can mean the female head of a household (archaic, e.g., "mistress of the manor"), a female teacher (schoolmistress), or, most commonly today, a woman in a long-term affair with a married man.
• Master: The male head of a household, a person with great skill (a master craftsman), or a male teacher (schoolmaster).

Examples:

• He was the master of the house.
• She was the head mistress of the girls' school.

The masculine of Mother is Father. The informal versions also form a pair.

• Feminine: Mother, Mom, Mommy, Mama
• Masculine: Father, Dad, Daddy, Papa

Example:

• Every child needs their mother and father.

The masculine of Mother-in-law is Father-in-law.

Rule: The gender is changed in the first part of the compound word.

Examples:

• My mother-in-law is the mother of my spouse.
• My father-in-law is the father of my spouse.

The masculine of Murderess is Murderer.

Modern Usage: "Murderess" is somewhat archaic. Murderer is the standard common gender noun for a person who commits murder.

Examples:

• The police finally caught the murderer. (Neutral)
• Agatha Christie wrote a famous story about a murderess on a train.

The masculine of a Mare is a Stallion.

Rule: These terms refer to adult horses.

• Feminine: Mare (an adult female horse)
• Masculine: Stallion (an uncastrated adult male horse)

Example:

• The gentle mare was expecting a foal soon.
• The powerful black stallion was famous for winning races.