machismo

[mah-cheez-moh, -chiz-, muh-]

noun

1. a strong or exaggerated sense of manliness; an assumptive attitude that virility, courage, strength, and entitlement to dominate are attributes or concomitants of masculinity.

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

   The military campaign was an exercise in national machismo.

machismo

/ -ˈtʃɪz-, mæˈkɪzməʊ /

noun

1. exaggerated masculine pride

Word History and Origins

Origin of machismo¹

1945–50, < Spanish macho, -ism

Word History and Origins

Origin of machismo¹

Mexican Spanish, from Spanish macho male, from Latin masculus _masculine

Example Sentences

The Canadian Indian actor Graham Greene has sharp gifts for comedy and machismo that weren’t fully exploited in the movie that made him famous, “Dances With Wolves.”

From Los Angeles Times

Why should Democrats have assumed that newly naturalized citizens would be progressive, rather than importing, out of pure habit, the machismo and caudillismo of Guatemala or Honduras, or the authoritarianism of South Asia?

From Salon

His depictions of authoritarianism, violence and machismo, using rich language and imagery, made him a star of the Latin American Boom literary movement that shone a global spotlight on the continent.

From BBC

This was thanks in no small part to the beach volleyball scene, in which Kilmer oozed the sort of hunky machismo that’s even more beguiling the more you try to resist it.

From Salon

Selena’s performances felt like cathartic responses to the machismo she faced as a young woman, which, as it also turned out, was coming from inside the house.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• manhood 
• manliness www.thesaurus.com
• masculinity www.thesaurus.com