alpha male

[ al-fuh meyl ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a male animal having the highest rank in a dominance hierarchy:
Studies show that in spite of their high rank, access to females, etc., baboon alpha males experience a great deal of stress.
the most dominant, powerful, or assertive man in a particular group:
He thinks he's the alpha male of investment bankers.
Slang: Sometimes Disparaging. a man who is perceived to be assertive, successful, and sexually dominant.

alpha male

noun

the dominant male animal or person in a group

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Word History and Origins

Origin of alpha male¹

First recorded in 1935–40

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

A rich guy paying scores of women to have his babies reads as "alpha male" by MAGA, so the Christian right is largely staying mum about it.

From

Saxon is the preening alpha male, vocally on the prowl for sex, telling his little brother that he needs to drink more protein shakes and man up.

From

Perhaps more than anything, “Heartbreaker” is a primer on how to effectively work in a band with an alpha male.

From

"In EastEnders, I played an alpha male that wore a pink dressing gown. I was a very sensitive soul."

From

Thanos, the Internet-bred Alpha male flanked by two sad little hype men, steps up to the young woman with facial piercings and a don’t-mess-with-me attitude, expecting to be worshipped.

From

alpha-linolenic acid alpha-naphthylthiourea

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