tomcat
[ tom-kat ]
/ ˈtɒmˌkæt /
noun
a male cat.
Slang. a woman-chaser.
verb (used without object), tom·cat·ted, tom·cat·ting.
Slang. (of a man) to pursue women in order to make sexual conquests (often followed by around): He tomcatted around before settling down.
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Nearby words
tombouctou, tomboy, tombstone, tombstone ad, tombé, tomcat, tomcod, tome, tomentose, tomentum, tomfool
Origin of tomcat
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for tomcat
Word Origin and History for tomcat
tomcat
1809, from Tom + cat; probably influenced by Tom the Cat in the popular children's book "The Life and Adventures of a Cat" (1760); replaced earlier Gib-cat, from diminutive of Gilbert, though Tom was applied to male kittens c.1300. Used of the males of other beasts and birds since 1791. Cf. also Tibert. The verb meaning "to pursue women promiscuously for sexual gratification" is recorded from 1927.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper