metrosexual

American  

[me-troh-sek-shoo-uhl] / ˌmɛ troʊˈsɛk ʃu əl /

noun

1. a heterosexual, usually urban male who pays much attention to his personal appearance and cultivates an upscale lifestyle.

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adjective

1. pertaining to or being a metrosexual.

   You can see from the matching colors in every room that he has a metrosexual focus on home décor.

metrosexual British  

/ ˌmɛtrəʊˈsɛksjʊəl /

noun

1. a heterosexual man who spends a lot of time and money on his appearance and likes to shop

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adjective

1. of or relating to metrosexuals

Usage

What does metrosexual mean? A metrosexual is a heterosexual man who prides himself on his fashion and appearance. He also shops frequently for items that help him keep himself looking on point.

Etymology

Origin of metrosexual

First recorded in 1990-95; metro(politan) + (hetero)sexual

Example Sentences

Society has called these people fussy, or in more recent times, metrosexual.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2025

“From the ’70s through today, it became kind of a cult favorite within the gay community, and expanded to the metrosexual urban community.”

From Seattle Times • Mar. 7, 2024

In addition to conjuring a marketing demographic seemingly from thin air, the metrosexual helped create a bridge between the gay and straight worlds, and made some men more like the rest of us.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2020

Although the term felt overused as soon as you heard it, metrosexual was an unavoidable feature of the early-aughts cultural landscape.

From New York Times • Jun. 15, 2018

It’s impossible to imagine Trudeau doing that, and I suspect that his version of masculinity – cool, modern, metrosexual – will prove more enduring in the end.

From The Guardian • Mar. 2, 2017