What is term for a male opera character played by a woman?

The term for a male opera character played by a woman is called a "pants role." This term originates from the fact that the female singer would traditionally wear pants or trousers to portray the male character, which was seen as scandalous and unconventional in earlier times. The pants role is a common feature in opera, especially in Baroque and Classical periods, where the roles of young men were often written for sopranos or mezzo-sopranos in order to bring out the high and youthful quality of their voices. Some famous examples of pants roles include the character of Cherubino in Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" and Octavian in Richard Strauss' "Der Rosenkavalier."