playboy

playboy — noun

1. a wealthy man, often young, whose life centres on parties, dating many women, fa

1.nounC1
Definition

a wealthy man, often young, whose life centres on parties, dating many women, fast cars, and other expensive forms of fun rather than serious work or family responsibilities.

Example

Marcus inherited his father's hotels at twenty-five and quickly became a famous playboy in Monaco.

subject complement: become a famous playboy

The newspaper described the young heir as a playboy who owned six sports cars and three yachts.

describe + as + a playboy

Common collocations
  • famous playboy
  • millionaire playboy
  • international playboy
  • playboy lifestyle
  • playboy image
  • playboy reputation
  • former playboy
  • ageing playboy
Synonyms
  • womanizer

    focuses on dating many women, with no requirement of wealth

  • socialite

    wealthy and seen at fancy events, but not necessarily a man or focused on women

  • rake

    old-fashioned literary term for an immoral pleasure-loving man

  • hedonist

    formal; anyone who lives for pleasure, not specifically rich or male

Antonyms
  • homebody

    someone who prefers staying home to going out

  • workaholic

    someone who lives for work rather than pleasure

Grammar Patterns

a/the playboy

playboy + noun (lifestyle, image)

Usage Note

Almost always refers to men; 'playgirl' is the rare female equivalent. Often carries a slightly negative tone, suggesting the person avoids serious responsibility. Frequently used as a modifier (playboy lifestyle, playboy image, playboy reputation) rather than only as a standalone noun.

Common Mistakes

My friend Tom loves football, so he is a playboy.
My friend Tom inherited millions and spends every weekend partying with models
he is a real playboy.' — A 'playboy' must be wealthy and devoted to luxury pleasure, not just someone who enjoys sport or fun.
She is a playboy in our office.
She is a party girl in our office.
'Playboy' is used for men; for women, native speakers usually say 'party girl' or, very rarely, 'playgirl'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words describe men who chase pleasure, but the focus differs sharply. A 'playboy' must be rich and live a glamorous public life of parties, sports cars, and beautiful women — money and lifestyle are essential. A 'womanizer' is defined only by chasing many women; he can be poor or middle-class, and the word is more openly negative. A 'socialite' attends elegant events and is often wealthy, but the term is gender-neutral and does not imply chasing women. A 'rake' is an old-fashioned, somewhat literary term for a charming but morally loose man, common in historical novels. A 'hedonist' is the most formal and broadest: any person, male or female, who treats personal pleasure as life's main goal. So a billionaire dating models in Monaco is a playboy; a struggling musician with many girlfriends is a womanizer, not a playboy.

playboy ↗womanizersocialiterake ↗hedonist

Common collocations

Nouns

  • playboy lifestyle
  • playboy image
  • playboy reputation
  • playboy prince
  • playboy millionaire
  • playboy heir

Phrases

  • a former playboy
  • a self-styled playboy
  • the original playboy
  • an ageing playboy

Prepositions

  • playboy of (the western world / society)
  • playboy from (a place)

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

First recorded in English around the early 1600s as a simple compound of 'play' (to amuse oneself) and 'boy' (a young man), originally meaning a male actor or someone always playing rather than working. The modern sense of 'a rich young man devoted to pleasure' grew during the late 1800s and early 1900s, especially in American newspapers reporting on wealthy heirs and society scandals. Hugh Hefner's magazine, launched in 1953, fixed the modern image of the playboy as a stylish, womanizing millionaire in popular culture worldwide.