A male connector always has a pin or probe that plugs into a female socket or connector at the end of a cable. A typical extension cord for electrical appliances has both, one on each end. The male connector plugs into a wall socket and the female connector receives a male connector from the cord on an appliance.

A male connector is a connector attached to a wire, cable, or piece of hardware, having one or more exposed, unshielded electrical terminals, and constructed in such a way that it can be inserted snugly into a receptacle ( female connector ) to ensure a reliable physical and electrical connection . This type of connector is also known as a plug. A male connector can be recognized by the fact that, when it is disconnected or removed, the unshielded electrical prongs are plainly visible.

The most common male connector is a two-prong or three-prong plug attached to the end of the cord for an electrical appliance. Other common examples include the plugs for headsets, most connectors on the ends of lengths of coaxial cable , and the edge connectors on some printed circuit cards. D-shell connectors for computer serial and parallel ports can also be male.

A gender changer is a hardware device used to convert a male connector to a female connector, or vice versa.A connector type with pins instead of holes. These connectors are inserted into a female connector. Good examples of male connectors are power plugs and coaxial cables. As can be seen in the example picture to the right, the power cord connector on the left-side is a female connector, and the right-side that connects to the wall socket is a male connector.