macho

American  

[mah-choh] / ˈmɑ tʃoʊ /

adjective

1. having or characterized by qualities considered manly, especially when manifested in an assertive, self-conscious, or dominating way.

2. having a strong or exaggerated sense of power or the right to dominate.

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noun

plural

machos

1. Also machoism assertive or aggressive manliness; machismo.

2. an assertively virile, dominating, or domineering male.

macho British  

/ ˈmætʃəʊ /

adjective

1. denoting or exhibiting pride in characteristics believed to be typically masculine, such as physical strength, sexual appetite, etc

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noun

1. a man who displays such characteristics

MACHO Scientific  

/ mä′chō /

1. Short for massive astrophysical compact halo object. Any of various massive dark objects, such as a brown dwarf star, black hole, or large planet, found in a galactic halo. MACHOs are thought to make up at least a part of the dark matter that apparently pervades much of the universe.

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macho Cultural  

1. The often exaggerated, aggressive virility of a male: “Jim likes to wear a torn T-shirt and a black leather jacket when he rides his motorcycle. I guess he thinks it makes him look macho.” The original Spanish word means “male.”

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Other Word Forms

• antimacho adjective
• supermacho noun
• unmacho adjective

Etymology

Origin of macho

An Americanism first recorded in 1925–30; from Spanish: literally, “male,” from Latin masculus; male, masculine

Explanation

A man who's aggressively masculine can be described as macho. A boxer might try to intimidate his opponent by walking into the ring with a macho swagger. To be macho is to display a tough, fierce, overly confident facade. A man who's macho would never cry or sip a cup of tea or pet a kitten, because none of these things would be seen as "manly" enough. In Spanish, macho means "male animal," from the Latin root masculus, also "male," but also "worthy of a man."

Example Sentences

As a youth, Rodríguez Castro spent much of his time at his grandfather’s house enthralled with the macho atmosphere of guns and bodybuilding prevalent in Raúl Castro’s security detail.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s recruiting has famously used aggressive, macho memes to attract the Francises of the world.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

"It was a bit of a macho era," he said.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

Judy, the first rabbit to join the city's police force, has proven to her macho colleagues — buffaloes, hippos, and warthogs — that she deserves her place in the investigative department.

From Barron's • Nov. 25, 2025

Even today, when so much about the myth of the macho no longer concerns me, I cannot altogether evade such notions.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Related Words

• aggressive
• cocky
• manly
• masculine