Gender: Meaning, Usage, and Everyday Expressions

Definition and Meaning of ‘Gender’

Gender (noun) refers to the social, cultural, and personal identity of being male, female, or non-binary. It can also describe roles, behaviors, and expectations society assigns to people based on whether they are seen as male, female, or other gender identities.

Important:
Gender is different from biological sex, which refers to physical and biological characteristics (such as male or female anatomy). Gender includes both how people identify and how society perceives them.

Pronunciation of ‘Gender’

• IPA: /ˈdʒen.dər/
• Phonetic Spelling: JEN-der

Synonyms

sex, gender identity, gender role, gender category, masculinity, femininity, non-binary identity, gender expression

Related Terms

Sex, Gender identity, Gender roles, Masculine, Feminine, Non-binary, Transgender, Gender equality, Gender discrimination, Gender bias, Gender norms

Grammatical Formation

• Part of Speech: Noun (countable/uncountable, depending on context)
• Plural Form: Genders (when referring to different categories or identities)
• Related Adjective: Gendered (describing things influenced by gender)

Easy Explanation

Gender is how people identify themselves as male, female, both, neither, or something else. It is about how you feel inside and how you present yourself, not just your body. For example, someone may be female by gender but male by biological sex, or they may identify as non-binary, which means not only male or female.

Common Collocations and Idiomatic Usage

• Gender identity
• Gender roles
• Gender equality
• Gender discrimination
• Gender bias
• Gender stereotypes
• Across all genders
• Gender expression
• The gender gap (difference in opportunities or pay between genders)
• Gender reveal (event to reveal a baby’s gender at birth, often criticized for reinforcing stereotypes)

Sample Sentences Using ‘Gender’

1. Gender is not always the same as biological sex.
2. Many countries are working to promote gender equality.
3. Some people identify with a non-binary gender.
4. The company is addressing gender bias in hiring practices.
5. Traditional gender roles often limit personal freedom.
6. Gender stereotypes can harm both men and women.
7. They are creating policies that respect all genders.

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