Gender.
If we look at the following nouns, we shall (should) see that some of them denote beings of the male sex, some of the female sex, and the some denote things which may be of either sex, or of neither sex.
Cock, snake, uncle, company, niece, house, shadow, condition, pond, husband, shopkeeper, mile, window, blanket, cook, flood, nurse, priest, doe, people, elephant, music, ram, nose, pupil, cricket, maid, cattle.
Nouns can be distinguished as having gender, which is as denoting male or female sex, or things without sex.
The names of males belong to the Masculine Gender, as King, man, father, bull, horse ...
The names of females belong to the Feminine Gender, as Queen, woman, mother, cow, mare ...
The names of things which we do not regard as having life like that of human beings or animals belong to the Neuter Gender, as Iron, chair carpet, tree, ...
Abstract Nouns and Collective Nouns are classed as belonging to the Neuter Gender, as: Temperance, beauty, flock, committee, …
Some words denote beings which may be of either sex. Such words belong to the Common Gender, as: Friend, neighbour (neighbor), poet, doctor, author, teacher, ...
