These words refer to characteristics that ideally or appropriately pertain to men. Masculine may refer, most neutrally, to what is true for men in general, as distinguished from women: a masculine tendency to defer to women on such subjects. The word becomes more emphatic when it evaluates men according to how near they approach some ideal for the whole group: Both men had masculine builds, but one of them seemed quite dull-witted: taunted because he was thought less masculine than the other fellows in his platoon. In this context, the word can suggest, as well, an excess of qualities normally exhibited by men: wondering if she were expected to fall over in a faint at the masculine charm he exuded. The word can also refer to women, with either a neutral or pejorative tone: those women’s fashions that have taken on an increasingly masculine look; a woman rather masculine in appearance.

Manly is more restricted than masculine an applying exclusively to desirable qualities that approach those thought ideally masculine : a manly determination to fight back at his oppressor; a trim, manly body. It would never refer to men in general, to masculine excesses, or to women, whether neutrally or pejoratively. Male may be used, of course, merely in classification, pertaining as well to species other than human: a male dog; the contrast between male and female voting patterns; male hormones. Beyond this use, the word functions very like masculine at a more informal level: male attitudes that once excluded women from participation in public affairs; a perfect example of male stupidity. The word may be factual in qualifying something typically thought the province of women: a male nurse. It is less likely than masculine to be used for unfeminine women when the word evaluates men, its emphasis is not so much on an attained ideal as with manly , but on qualities that are intensely evocative of masculine sexuality: the coarse, male attractiveness of her rescuer. Virile is exclusively restricted to this last implication of male , emphasizing strength either of mind or body, but especially of sexual potency: She liked a man who felt virile enough to dispense with the usual masculine arrogance she found so tedious. Manly and virile , in comparisons, might suggest a contrast between appearance and performance: husbands who appear manly enough but are not really very virile .

Just as virile is positive and applies exclusively to men. So mannish applies in an exclusive and negative way to women. The word is, thus, more heavily shaded towards the pejorative than masculine in referring to inappropriately male aspects in women: her square, mannish build; women’s fashions that take over masculine styles without ridding them of their mannish appearance.