menfolk

English

Alternative forms

• menfolks

Etymology

men +‎ folk

Noun

menfolk pl (plural only)

1. Male people in general.

   The old woman was surprised when the soldiers stopped to look at her camouflage quilts, since menfolk are rarely interested in needlework.

2. The male members of a group.

   At our family reunion, the menfolk generally have a ball game, while the womenfolk gossip and trade snapshots.

   • 1877, Official Guide and Album of the Cunard Steamship Company, page 95:

     […] when the pleasant time of night is come, and the stewardess is tucking up the ladies, and putting oranges and other goodies under their pillows, and the menfolk assemble in the capstan house to smoke their last cigar.

Coordinate terms

• womenfolk

Translations

men collectively — see also mankind

• Finnish: miesväki
• German: Männer (de) m pl, Mannsbilder (de) n pl, Mannsvolk n (colloquial, obsolescent)
• Ingrian: meesrahvas, meessuku
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: mannfolk (no) n or n pl, på sverdsiden, karfolk n or n pl

  Nynorsk: mannfolk n or n pl, karfolk n or n pl

adult male members of a community

• Finnish: miesväki
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: mannfolk (no) n pl