playboy

American  

[pley-boi] / ˈpleɪˌbɔɪ /

noun

playboys plural

1. a man who pursues a life of pleasure without responsibility or attachments, especially one who is of comfortable means.

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playboy British  

/ ˈpleɪˌbɔɪ /

noun

1. a man, esp one of private means, who devotes himself to the pleasures of nightclubs, expensive holiday resorts, female company, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• playboys
  plural

Etymology

Origin of playboy

First recorded in 1620–30; play + boy

Example Sentences

One newspaper denounced “The Playboy of the Western World” as an “unmitigated, prolonged libel upon Irish peasant men and, worse still, upon Irish peasant girlhood.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

As for her own mindset, Wilkinson has moved on from her Playboy days and is committed to her work in real estate so that others will do the same.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

Playboy Enterprises announced on Wednesday that it will relocate its headquarters from Los Angeles to Miami Beach, becoming the latest high-profile company to abandon California in favor of more business-friendly environments.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 15, 2025

Synge's landmark drama, The Playboy of the Western World, a story from the west of Ireland, which won rave reviews from London audiences.

From BBC • Aug. 9, 2025

I mean that could have been really nice, only the goon that played the Playboy spoiled any fun it might have been.

From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger