Male

A male (symbol: ♂) is one of the two main sexes in many living things. Males produce tiny cells called sperm, which join with a larger cell from a female, called an ovum or egg, to create a new organism. This joining is called fertilisation.

Most male animals, including humans, have something special inside their cells called a Y chromosome. This helps their bodies make a hormone called testosterone, which helps develop organs used in making sperm.

In people, the word male can also talk about social roles or how someone sees themselves, known as gender role or gender identity. This is different from the biological sex of being male.

Overview

Different kinds of living things have developed separate sexes in their own ways, showing how they can reproduce together. In some species, there are two types that look very similar but act a little differently when they join. In others, one type (the female) makes a larger egg that cannot move, while the other type (the male) makes a smaller sperm that can move to meet the egg.

In some species, males can also reproduce without needing a female, by making copies of themselves in another way.

The idea of being male or female depends on what kind of tiny cells (gametes) an organism makes. This difference exists in many kinds of life, not just animals. Even simple plants and tiny water organisms can have male and female parts.

Evolution

See also: Evolution of sexual reproduction and Sex § Evolution of sex

The development of different roles for male and female began with changes in how organisms reproduce. At first, organisms had similar-sized cells for reproduction, labeled only as "+" or "-" types. Over time, these cells changed, with the male cell becoming smaller and usually able to move. Scientists are still learning why this happened, but one idea is that smaller male cells can travel faster to find other cells, while larger female cells are better at surviving. This change happened many times in different species, even though we don't have clear fossil evidence of when it first occurred. Some think males may have come from the more active "-" type of reproduction cell.

Symbol, etymology, and usage

Symbol

The male sex is often shown with a special symbol: ♂. This symbol looks like a circle with an arrow pointing northeast. It is the same symbol used for the planet Mars and was first used to show sex by Carl Linnaeus in 1751.

Etymology

The word "male" comes from Old French masle, which itself came from the Latin word masculus. This Latin word means "masculine, male, worthy of a man" and is a smaller form of mās, meaning "male person or animal, male".

Usage

When talking about people, the word "male" can describe a man or a boy, or refer to their gender role or identity. It can also describe things that belong to or relate to men. The word "male" can also be used to describe a certain shape of connectors.

Sex determination

Main article: Sex-determination system

The sex of an organism can be decided by different factors, such as genes or the environment, or it may change during its life. While most species have only two sexes—male or female—some animals, like worms, have both male and female reproductive organs.

In many animals, including humans, sex is decided by genes. For example, in most mammals, males have XY chromosomes, while females have XX chromosomes. However, in some species, like certain fish, an animal's sex can change based on how many females are around. In some reptiles, like alligators, the temperature at which the egg is kept determines whether the baby will be male or female.

Secondary sex characteristics

Main article: Secondary sex characteristic

Male animals have developed special traits to show they are strong and healthy. These traits help them find mates. In many species, males look different from females. For example, in some insects and fish, males are smaller. In mammals, including humans, males are often larger and have more muscle. This helps them compete for mates.

Birds often have bright, colorful feathers to attract females. Males with more vibrant colors are often better at finding mates and sharing their genes. These traits developed over time because they helped males succeed in finding partners.