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.
I tire you with my melancholy adventure--but it is some ease in the extremes of grief, to receive the tender pity of a friend, and that I am sure Octavio will afford his unhappy PHILANDER.
From Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister by Behn, Aphra
Pardon this long history, for it is a sort of acting all one's joys again, to be telling them to a friend so dear, as is the gallant Octavio to PHILANDER.
From Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister by Behn, Aphra
Send, my angel, something from you to make the hours less tedious: consider me, love me, and be as impatient as I, that you may the sooner find at your feet your everlasting lover, PHILANDER.
From Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister by Behn, Aphra
It will be an age, till I hear from you, and receive the news of the health of Sylvia, than which two blessings nothing will be more welcome to, generous Octavio, your PHILANDER.
From Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister by Behn, Aphra
Sylvia, what hast thou this night to add to the soul of thy PHILANDER.
From Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister by Behn, Aphra
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.
