playboy

American  

[pley-boi] / ˈpleɪˌbɔɪ /

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of playboy

First recorded in 1620–30; play + boy

Example Sentences

LONDON—In 2001, Prince Andrew retired from active duty in the Royal Navy, with a reputation as a war hero and something of a playboy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026

Jarvis, the fictional AI from Marvel, was once known for helping billionaire playboy turned superhero Tony Stark save the world.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

He has the tender, shining eyes of an ingenue while Del Campo, who has a striking birthmark on her cheek, is a femme fatale able to hold her own against Wolff’s selfish, useless playboy.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2025

By the encore, he'd given up all pretence of being a high-rolling playboy.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2025

You’re a failure, a playboy, a racetrack tout.”

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole