Meanings
plural philanderers
- Someone who engages in casual sex, usually frequently.
A philanderer's tie, a murderer's shoe Life's rich demand creates supply in the hand of the powers—the only vote that matters
1986, “Begin The Begin”, in Lifes Rich Pageant, performed by R.E.M.
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna man who likes many women and has short sexual relationships with them
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekφίλανδρος
- Englishphilanderer
From philander (“lover”) + -er, from Ancient Greek φίλανδρος (phílandros), from φίλος (phílos, “love”) + ἀνήρ (anḗr, “man”).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian флиртаджия, донжуан
- флиртаджия (flirtadžija)fickle lover
- донжуан (donžuan)fickle lover
Dutch vrouwenversierder, rokkenjager
- vrouwenversierderfickle lover
- rokkenjagersomeone who engages in casual sex
Estonian liiderdaja, elumees
- liiderdajafickle lover
- elumeesfickle lover
Finnish auervaara, hurmuri
- auervaarafickle lover
- hurmurifickle lover
French flirteur, charmeur
- flirteurfickle lover
- charmeurfickle lover
- dragueursomeone who engages in casual sex
German Charmeur, Schönredner
- Charmeurfickle lover
- Schönrednerfickle lover
- Schürzenjägersomeone who engages in casual sex
Hungarian szívtipró
- szívtiprófickle lover
Italian farfallone
- farfallonefickle lover
Japanese 漁色家
- 漁色家 (gyoshokuka)fickle lover
Polish flirciarz, kobieciarz
- flirciarzfickle lover
- kobieciarzfickle lover
Portuguese namorador, galinha
- namoradorfickle lover
- galinhasomeone who engages in casual sex
- mulherengosomeone who engages in casual sex
Russian ба́бник, донжуа́н
- ба́бник (bábnik)fickle lover
- донжуа́н (donžuán)fickle lover
- волоки́та (volokíta)fickle lover
Spanish donjuán, mujeriego
- donjuánfickle lover
- mujeriegosomeone who engages in casual sex
Turkish flört
- flörtfickle lover
Cite this entry
philanderer. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/philanderer
“philanderer.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/philanderer. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “philanderer,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/philanderer.
Source: philanderer on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.