only sons
Lone male offspring
Only sons are male children with no brothers or sisters.
The phrase emphasizes singular status within a family, often carrying cultural or emotional weight—expectations of carrying on a family name, inheriting property, or bearing special parental hopes: As an only son, he felt the pressure to take over the family business.
Distinguished from "only child" by specifying male gender while leaving open whether sisters exist.
- singletonOnly member present
- childPerson before puberty
- motherFemale parent
- heirOne who receives legacy
- heir apparentUnassailable next in line
father · scion · filial piety · sole · golden child · mama's boy · emotional resilience · self-reliance · exclusive · independence · solitary · family honor · individual · gender expectations · inheritance · family name · family legacy · one-child policy