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The male urethra represents the urinary outlet and from the inlet of ductus ejaculatorius it also serves as the genital outlet. It is approximately 20 cm long. It starts in the urinary bladder (ostium urethrae internum) and ends by the external orifice (ostium urethrae externum) on the apex of the glans penis. The male urethra bends forwards along the lower margin of pubic physis in curvatura subpubica and in front of the anterior margin of the pubic physis it bends downwards in curvatura praepubica. This second bending is straightened at erection.

The first part of the urethra (pars intramuralis) crosses the wall of the bladder, the second part (pars prostatica) crosses the prostate and the third part (pars membranacea), the urogenital diaphragm. The fourth part of the urethra (pars spongiosa) is an integral part of the spongy penis body. The first three parts of the urethra are called posterior urethra in clinical terminology and the spongy part is designated as anterior urethra. The anterior urethra is further divided in this terminology into the bulbar part contained in the bulbus penis, into the penile part, which lies in the corpus penis, and into the glandular part or glandar part, pars glandis urethrae.

The urethra is constricted in several places. Its narrowest part is situated in the membraneous section and in ostium urethrae externum, where it is least distensible due to the ligaments strengthening its periphery. The urethra is enlarged in places called ampulla urethrae in bulbus penis and fossa navicularis in glans penis.

The urethra serves as an outlet of urine from the body. In a man, the urethra also serves as an outlet of the genital tract, through which the ejaculation of semen occurs.