All of us know that there are two types of living beings, viz; male and Female (Eunuchs is a different class) – Currently they are treated neither as male or female.
There are certain physical and mental characteristic that differentiates a Male and a Female.
A Noun that denotes a male is said to be in Masculine Gender. (Boy, Man, Lion, Tiger).
A Noun that denotes a female is said to be in Feminine Gender. (Girl, Woman, Lioness, Tigress).
A Noun that is without life (when we cannot ascribe masculine or feminine) is said to be in NEUTER Gender. NEUTER means neither Male nor Female. (Car, Pen, Computer).
Sometimes, over a period of time, some things are personified as Masculine or Feminine Gender, even though they belong to NEUTER GENDER.
Moon and Earth – Feminine Gender
Sun, Time, Death – Masculine Gender
FORMING THE FEMININE OF NOUNS (entirely different words)
Wizard – Witch
Nephew – Niece
Lord – Lady
Drone – Bee
Dog – Bitch
Gentle Man – Lady
(Adding – ess)
Host – Hostess Poet – Poetess
Giant – Giantess Shepherd – Shepherdess
Normally, we can use ‘ess’ suffix to Masculine to form Feminine Gender or ’ine’ as in Hero – Heroine or by placing a word before or after. Washer man – Washerwoman, Grand father, Grand mother.
Related:
http://ramanisblog.in/2012/08/24/kinds-of-nouns-know-your-english/