Gender-Neutral Words and Terms
As English speaking Western cultures and societies have evolved over the past few decades, the use of gender-specific language has (is becoming) a thing of the past. Although the extent of this may still vary from country, it is now becoming more common and acceptable to use gender-neutral terms when writing and speaking in English.
Following is a list of gender-specific words/terms with their recommended gender-neutral equivalents. The words/terms that I have included on the list are what I consider to be the most frequently encountered in day-to-day writing and speaking.
| Instead of this… actress airline stewardess airman, airwoman alderman alumna, alumnus anchorman, anchorwoman assemblyman bagboy blind man bondsman boss man, boss lady brakeman (bobsled) brakeman (train) brethren brew master bridesmaid brotherhood brotherly brotherly love bus boy, bus girl businessman, businesswoman cabin boy cameraman, camerawoman career woman cattlemen cavemen chairman, chairwoman chambermaid choir boy, choir girl chorus girl, chorus boy city fathers clergy men, clergy women coed comedienne common man conductress confidence man congressman contact man copy boy, copy girl councilman countryman cowboy, cowgirl craftsman crewman dairyman deliveryman doorman drum majorette Dutchman elder statesman Englishman enlisted man fall guy fatherhood fraternal twins fatherland favorite son fighting man fireman flagman floor man flyboy forefathers foreman, forewoman, forelady founding father Frenchmen freshman frog man front man funnyman gamesmanship gateman gentlemen’s agreement girl Friday goddess governess grandfather clause guardsman gunman handyman headman headmaster heiress helmsman henchman heroine horseman, horsewoman hostess housewife idea man infantryman inside man insurance man Irishmen jack-of-all-trades jazz man John Q. Public johnny-come-lately johnny-on-the-spot journeyman juryman key man king’s ransom king-size layman learned man legman letterman lineman longshoreman lookout man lumberjack maid maid-of-honor maiden maiden name mailman maintenance man majorette male nurse man about town man among men man of action man of distinction man of letters man of the year man on the street man (verb: to man) manned man’s best friend man’s work man-sized man-to-man manageress man-eater manhandle manhole man-hours mankind manlike manmade manpower man of the house marked man marksman masculine masseuse master master key master plan masterful masterpiece master’s degree matron of honor mechanical man medicine man men working meter maid middleman midshipman Miss modern man mother country Mother Earth mother lode Mother Nature mother tongue motherhood Mrs. murderess newsboy newsman newspaperman night watchman no-man’s-land nobleman Norseman number-one-man number-two-man oarsman odd-man-out office boy oilman old wives’ tale organization man outdoorsman paperboy patrolman penmanship pitchman playboy, playgirl postman postmistress prehistoric man pressman priestess prodigal son publicity man radioman ranchman Renaissance man repairman rifleman right-hand man salesman, saleslady Scotsman sculptress seaman seamstress seductress serviceman serviceman shipmaster showman showmanship signalman sister ship snowman song-and-dance-man songstress sorceress spaceman spokesman, spokeswoman sportsmanlike starlet statesman stewardess straw man switchman taskmaster temptress to a man toastmaster, toastmistress trash man tribesman triggerman Uncle Sam usherette waitress watchman weak sister weatherman Welshman workman workmanlike workmen’s compensation yes-man young man | Use this… actor flight attendant pilot, aviator, flier, flight crew council member/person graduates, alums anchor assemblyperson bagger, assistant, caddy blind person bondsperson, guarantor, insurer boss, supervisor brake operator conductor’s assistant laity brew director, chief/head brewer bride’s attendant fellowship, camaraderie kind, helpful charity, goodwill server’s helper, table attendant businessperson cabin attendant camera operator career professional cattle owners cave dwellers, cave people chair person, chair housekeeper choir member chorus singer, chorus member city leaders clergy, clerics, ministers, pastors, etc. student comedian, entertainer average person, commoner conductor swindler, crook member of congress, congress person contact person, contact copy clerk council member compatriot cowhand artisan, craftsperson crew member dairy farmer deliverer, delivery clerk, courier doorkeeper, door attendant drum major Dutch person senior statesperson Englander, Briton enlistee, soldier, recruit scapegoat parenthood non-identical twins homeland favorite candidate fighter, soldier firefighter flagger floorwalker, duty person pilot, aviator ancestors, forebears supervisor, boss founder the French, French people first year students, undergrads diver representative, intermediary comedian game playing gate keeper, gate attendant unwritten agreement aide, assistant god child caretaker, child care worker, nurse pre-existing condition guard, soldier shooter, killer, assassin fixer, maintenance person boss, chief, president, leader principal heir coxswain partner in crime hero rider, equestrian host homemaker idea person, creator infantry soldier insider insurance agent Irish people handyperson jazz player, jazz musician the public newcomer prompt person, right-on-time experienced tradesperson juror, jury person key person valuable huge, very large layperson learned person runner, messenger achiever, award winning athlete line technician, football player stevedore lookout logger, forester house cleaner honored attendant first, untried family name, birth name letter carrier, mail carrier janitor, caretaker drum major nurse bon vivant, mover and shaker outstanding person go-getter, human dynamo person of distinction scholar, academic newsmaker of the year average person, ordinary citizen operate, staff piloted, crewed, occupied dog work, hard work large head-to-head, face-to-face manager flesh eater rough up, move roughly utility access hole, maintenance hole work hours humankind, humanity humanlike hand made, hand built, manufactured workers, workforce, staff husband, father targeted person, fingered sharpshooter male massage therapist expert passkey main plan, primary plan skillful, expert great work of art graduate degree honored attendant robot spirit healer, faith healer people working parking enforcement officer go-between, intermediary sailor, cadet Ms. modern people homeland earth, world, planet earth main vein nature first language, native language parenthood Ms. murderer paper carrier, news deliverer reporter, newscaster reporter, journalist, editor, writer night security guard uninhabited land, neutral zone noble person Norse person head, chief, leader second in command rower, crew member person not included messenger, clerk oil executive, oil field worker superstition team player, loyal company person outdoors person paper carrier police officer handwriting promoter, ad man pleasure seeker, partier, carouser letter carrier postal worker prehistoric person press operator priest returning child publicist radio broadcaster rancher Renaissance person repairer, maintenance specialist shooter, sharpshooter main assistant sales person, sales associate/agent Scot sculptor sailor, mariner, sea farer tailor, sewer, mender, needleworker seducer sailor, soldier, airman repair person, maintenance person captain, commander actor, performer, entertainer stage presence signaler, signal operator partner ship snow person singer and dancer singer sorcerer, enchanter astronaut spokesperson sporting, sporty star young actor leader, senior politician, diplomat flight attendant test theory switch operator supervisor, tyrant tempter, enticer to a person toast maker trash collector tribe member shooter, assassin U.S., United States usher server security guard, lookout guard weak, cowardly weathercaster, meteorologist Welsh person worker skillful, efficient workers’ compensation avid follower, supporter youth, teenager |
The above list is not exhaustive, although I did try to compile the most complete list of gender- neutral equivalents that I could when I researched and wrote this page.
If you think of other commonly used gender specific terms and/or their gender-neutral equivalents that I have missed, please let me know by e-mail via the “Contact” link at the bottom of this page so I can eventually add them here.
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