philander
Americanverb (used without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have philanderedperfect
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has philanderedperfect 3rd person singular
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is philanderingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been philanderingperfect progressive
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are philanderingprogressive
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philanderingparticiple
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am philanderingprogressive 1st person singular
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has been philanderingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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philanderssingular 3rd person
Past
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had philanderedperfect
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was philanderingprogressive singular
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philanderedparticiple
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had been philanderingperfect progressive
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were philanderingprogressive plural
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philanderedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of philander
First recorded in 1675–85; from Greek phílandros “one who loves” (of a woman, loving her husband); see philo-, andro-; later used in fiction as a proper name for a lover, and apparently mistaken as “a man who loves”
Explanation
To philander is to flirt or casually date a large number of people. If you philander, you don't have one steady, serious relationship, but instead dabble in many casual ones. It's most common to say that a man philanders when he is excessively flirtatious or cheats on his partner with many other people. The word has both a sense of sneakiness and lightheartedness, and it comes from the now-obsolete noun philander, "husband" or "lover." The name Philander, in fact, was popular in 18th century literature for the character of a lover, from the Greek word philandros, "with love for the people."
Vocabulary lists containing philander
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.
"It says 'accept certain inalienable truths - prices will rise, politicians will philander and you too will get old'."
From BBC • Jan. 24, 2026
He did not drink or philander; his first marriage ended in an amicable divorce after twelve years, and his second lasted until his death in 1965.
From Time Magazine Archive
“Don’t mean to have any. It’s fun to watch other people philander, but I should feel like a fool doing it myself,” said Jo, looking alarmed at the thought.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
They philander clownishly with this mirage of my thought.
From Fantazius Mallare A Mysterious Oath by Smith, Wallace
The invitation, reminding him, with a difference, of his Crystal Palace and Welsh Harp days, was well nigh too much for the well-versed philander of the suburbs.
From A Poached Peerage by Magnay, William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
