What is a Masculine Man?

It sure ain't Harrison Butker

The primary definition of masculine is very simple. “Pertaining to or characteristic of a man or men.”

Simple.

A secondary definition is having qualities ascribed to men and adds that these qualities could be “strength” or “boldness.” Fascinating choices, right? This is coming from Dictionary.com. Are strength and boldness particularly male? Sheer strength, sometimes, but boldness.

Let’s check Webster’s.

Again, the primary definition is just characteristics of men. This leaves the word open to interpretation in so many ways. We can define what we think masculine characteristics should and can be. Now the above references both “dominance” and “rugged.”

Many trad wives and the kind of women who like to boast about their husbands being the sole breadwinner and dominant decision maker in the homes define masculine on social media as “dominant,” “strong,” “powerful,” “fierce.”

But what if we assigned other characteristics to masculine.