Gender-neutral words can refer to men and women. Listed here are alternatives to 74 gender-specific words, with endings such as -man, -woman, -ess, -boy, and -girl. In a given context, not all of the suggested alternatives to a word may be suitable.
- adman advertising executive
- airman aviator; flyer; pilot
- alderman council member
- anchorman/woman anchor; commentator; newscaster
- assemblyman assembly member
- businessman/woman businessperson; executive
- cameraman camera operator; cinematographer
- caveman cave dweller
- chairman/woman chair; chairperson
- charwoman office cleaner
- committeeman/woman committee member
- congressman/woman congressional representative
- councilman/woman council member
- countryman/woman compatriot; fellow citizen
- craftsman artisan
- crewman crewmember
- doorman door attendant
- draftsman drafter
- fireman firefighter
- fisherman angler
- foreman supervisor
- gentleman man; person
- gentlewoman person; woman
- handyman repairperson
- horseman/woman equestrian
- kinsman/woman relative
- lawman officer; sheriff
- layman/woman nonprofessional
- letterman varsity athlete
- longshoreman dockworker
- madman/woman lunatic; maniac
- mailman mail carrier
- marksman expert shooter; sharpshooter
- middleman intermediary
- newsman reporter
- patrolman patrol officer; police officer
- policeman/woman police officer
- postman mail carrier; postal worker
- pressman press operator
- repairman repairperson; technician
- salesman/woman sales clerk; salesperson; sales representative
- serviceman service member; technician
- spokesman/woman representative; spokesperson
- statesman/woman political leader; diplomat; public official
- watchman guard; security guard
- workman/woman worker
- actress actor
- deaconess deacon
- enchantress enchanter
- giantess giant
- heiress heir
- hostess host
- patroness patron
- seamstress tailor
- shepherdess shepherd
- stewardess flight attendant; steward
- waitress server; waiter
- bellboy bellhop
- busboy kitchen helper
- newsboy newspaper carrier
- salesgirl sales clerk
- schoolboy/girl pupil; schoolchild; student
- stable boy groom
- guy person guys people
- lady woman; person ladies women; people
- gentleman man; person gentlemen men; people
- gentlewoman person; woman gentlewomen people; women
- chambermaid hotel cleaner
- housemaid house cleaner
- maid house cleaner
- old maid unmarried woman; woman
- housewife homemaker
- mankind humankind; humanity
- the common man the common person
- the man in the street the average person
- man (verb) staff; operate
See also
Sources
- Microsoft Office Word 2003 grammar checker
- English word list from ftp://ftp.univie.ac.at/security/dictionaries/ that has been filtered