Meaning

adjective being the sex (of plant or animal) that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that perform the fertilizing function in generation

noun an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes (ova)

noun a person who belongs to the sex that cannot have babies

origin* As a Welsh surname, from the personal name Mael, from Middle Welsh mael (“prince”). * As an English surname of Norman origin, contaminated from many Old French sources, such as mail (“hammer”), maille (“chainmail”), maille (“denier”), or esmal (“enamel”). Compare Mailer. * Also as an English surname, from Middle English male (“bag, pouch”). * Also as an English surname of Norman origin, from…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0