Meanings
leatherman1
nounleatherman (plural leathermen)
plural leathermen
- A member of a homosexual male subculture that grew out of male-only motorcycle clubs formed by homosexual veterans returning from World War II, stressing masculinity in contradiction to androgynous and effeminate gay stereotypes, characterized by a fetish for leather gear and clothing, a sense of hierarchy, and a fraternal, militaristic code of protocol and behavior, often involving BDSM practices.
- archaicA male leather dealer, leatherworker, or tanner.
leatherman2
nounleatherman (plural leathermen)
plural leathermen
- A multitool, usually with a plier head as the central implement, that has an array of other implements such as knives, screwdrivers, can openers, files, saws, and so on.
Leatherman3
Origin
leatherman · noun
From leather + man. In the gay subculture sense, since the mid-twentieth century. In the leather dealer sense, since centuries earlier; archaic today.
Full word history & related roots →leatherman · noun
From the name of the manufacturer, Leatherman Tool Group, named after Timothy Leatherman.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
German Ledermann
- Ledermanna member of the male gay leather subculture
Cite this entry
APA
leatherman. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/leatherman
MLA
“leatherman.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/leatherman. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “leatherman,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/leatherman.
Source: leatherman on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.