tomcat meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

tomcat

noun

Etymology From Tom + cat, popularised by The Life and Adventures of a Cat (1760), by an anonymous author, in which the male cat was called Tom.

A tom (male cat).

Informal A promiscuous man.

An insect of the order Coleoptera referring to certain species of rove beetles, particularly in the genus Paederus. Known for secreting a potent irritant, pederin, which can cause severe skin irritation and blistering when contacted.

Derived terms: Tomcatter

tomcat

verb

Etymology From Tom + cat, popularised by The Life and Adventures of a Cat (1760), by an anonymous author, in which the male cat was called Tom.

Informal, Of a man To prowl for sexual gratification.

He would not go roaming the streets tom-catting like Mr Schick.1985, Peter Carey, Illywhacker, Faber and Faber, published 2003, page 539:

Derived terms: tomcat around
Related terms: caterwaul

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.