Hommes

Hommes is the plural of homme in French, meaning adult male humans. In ordinary usage, un homme is a man, and des hommes are men. The feminine forms are une femme and des femmes. The term is used across biology, sociology, law, literature, and everyday language.

Etymology: From Latin homo, "man" or "human being," via Old French, evolving into homme. The plural form des hommes ends with -s, but the final s is silent in modern French.

Linguistic and cultural usage: "les hommes" can denote men as a social group, or in a generic sense in historical or philosophical texts. The phrase "droits des hommes" is common in political discourse. In everyday speech, differentiating "hommes" from "garçons" or "femmes" is essential.

Biology and gender: Biologically, "hommes" refers to male individuals, but gender identity is a social and personal aspect that may not align with biological sex. Across cultures, expectations of masculinities influence how "hommes" are perceived and described.

See also: femme, sexe, masculinité, humanité, genre.