Meaning and usage of the word masculine rhyme in English

The term "masculine rhyme" originates from the grammatical gender system in some languages, particularly in French and certain other Romance languages. In these languages, certain nouns have masculine or feminine gender, and this gender affects the words that can be used with them in various grammatical functions, including rhyme. In French, for example, common masculine nouns include "homme" (man), "jour" (day), and "lieu" (place), while common feminine nouns include "femme" (woman), "nuit" (night), and "voix" (voice). When two words are placed in rhyme in French, their final consonant sound (known as the rhyme) must be the same in order to sound pleasing to the ear. In masculine rhyme, the last consonant sound of the words being rhymed is a masculine one, such as "e" in the masculine words "homme" and "lemme" (give me). This was particularly important in the French classical tradition of poetry, where adherence to grammatical rules could be seen as a sign of sophistication and refinement. In English, the notion of masculine rhyme is less relevant, as English does not have a systematic gender system for nouns. While there are some words that might be considered "masculine" due to their associated gender roles (such as "man" or "gentleman"), there are no grammatical rules that dictate whether words rhyme based on their perceived gender. Modern English poetry tends to prioritize the musicality and emotional impact of rhyme over conforming to traditional grammatical expectations.