What does unmanly mean?
Unmanly is an adjective meaning “not manly,” especially lacking courage, firmness, or other qualities that a speaker traditionally associates with manhood. The expression is chiefly literary or archaic today and can sound deliberately old-fashioned. In contemporary discussion it may carry an ironic or critical edge, especially when it describes behavior that conflicts with conventional masculine ideals. The word has also been used historically to characterize people—most notably women—whose conduct was said to violate Victorian ideals of femininity. Because “manly” is itself culturally loaded, “unmanly” can reveal more about social expectations than any objective standard of masculinity. In ordinary use the term is dismissive and gendered, rather than a neutral description of fearfulness or hesitation. Understanding its history helps explain why modern writers may choose it ironically rather than simply say “cowardly” or “timid.”
adjectiveNot manly, especially lacking courage, firmness, or other qualities traditionally associated with manhood. The term is now chiefly literary or archaic and can reflect traditional gender ideals.
- Lacking courage, firmness, or other qualities traditionally regarded as manly.
"His unmanly hesitation at the gate seemed to his friends more cowardice than caution."
"His unmanly hesitation at the gate seemed to his friends more cowardice than caution."
"She rejected the label as an unmanly attempt to police women's courage."
In the Victorian era, “unmanly” was often applied to women who refused to be delicate or compliant, exposing how closely ideas of masculinity were tied to social respectability.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unmanly come from?
Unmanly was formed in English by combining the negative prefix un- with the adjective manly. Manly itself derives from man plus the suffix -ly, while man is an inherited Germanic word with cognates such as German Mann and Dutch man. The resulting word originally expressed the absence of qualities conventionally associated with manhood.
How unmanly is actually used
Now chiefly literary, archaic, or deliberately old-fashioned. It is a gendered and generally dismissive term; modern usage is often ironic when challenging conventional ideals of masculinity or femininity.