butch

IPA/bʊtʃ/
KK[bˈʊtʃ]IPA/bʊtʃ/

butch — adjective

  • butchpositive
  • butchercomparative
  • butchestsuperlative

1. showing a look or way of acting that many people see as strongly masculine

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

showing a look or way of acting that many people see as strongly masculine

Example

Ritu chose a butch haircut and heavy boots for the school play.

collocation: butch haircut

The boxer looked butch in the photo with his shaved head.

pattern: look + butch

Common collocations
  • butch haircut
  • butch look
  • butch style
  • butch clothes
  • butch image
Synonyms
  • masculine

    the broad neutral word for a male-coded look or manner

  • macho

    often sounds more critical and suggests showy toughness

  • manly

    more old-fashioned and often sounds approving

Antonyms
  • feminine

    describes a look or manner traditionally linked with women

Grammar Patterns

butch + haircut/style/look

be/look/seem + butch

Usage Note

Informal and often sensitive. It points to a strongly masculine look or manner, and when used about another person it can sound judgmental or offensive, especially if the person would not choose the label. Some people, however, use it for themselves as an identity term.

Common Mistakes

My brother is butch because he is a man.
My brother looks very masculine.
'butch' describes a strongly masculine style or manner, not the simple fact of being male.
The suitcase looks butch next to the chair.
The suitcase looks rugged next to the chair.
'butch' is mainly used for people or styles linked to a person's appearance.

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Masculine' is the broad, neutral word for a look or manner that people connect with men. 'Butch' is more informal and often points to a stronger, more visibly male-coded style. It can also be sensitive, because it may sound judgmental when used by outsiders, although some people choose it for themselves. 'Macho' is usually more negative and suggests exaggerated toughness or dominance. 'Manly' is more old-fashioned and often sounds approving. A short haircut or heavy boots may be described as butch, while bragging or aggressive behavior is more often called macho.

butch ↗masculine ↗machomanly ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • butch haircut
  • butch look
  • butch style

Phrases

  • look butch
  • dress butch

Etymology

First known use

1939

1939, in the meaning defined at sense 1