love rat

American

[luhv rat] / ˈlʌv ˌræt /

noun

Chiefly British Slang.

a sexually unfaithful man, especially one whose infidelity involves more than one affair.

She’s a lot less trusting of men since her second husband turned out to be as much of a love rat as her first.

Etymology

Origin of love rat

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

At the time, the British tabloids called him a "love rat" after he was pictured embracing the woman appointed to a role to scrutinise his department.

From Reuters • Nov. 11, 2022

However, they stressed the results were modest, and said people should be wary of deciding whether someone is a love rat based on impressions of facial features alone.

From The Guardian • Apr. 16, 2019

A student has caused a nationwide hunt for a "love rat" after overhearing a conversation on a train.

From BBC • Dec. 4, 2017

That "tabloid love rat" reputation has perhaps sometimes come between Coogan and credibility as a serious artist.

From The Guardian • Jul. 27, 2013

"One song in particular, Happy Tears, goes straight for love rat ex-husband ASHLEY's jugular."

From The Guardian • Oct. 14, 2010

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023