tomcat

English

Alternative forms

• tom cat, tom-cat

Etymology

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

Noun

tomcat (plural tomcats)

1. A tom, a male cat.

Translations

tom — see tom

Verb

tomcat (third-person singular simple present tomcatt, present participle ing, simple past and past participle tomcated)

1. To prowl for sexual gratification.
   • 1985, Peter Carey, Illywhacker, Faber and Faber 2003, p. 539:

     He would not go roaming the streets tom-catting like Mr Schick.

Derived terms

• tomcat around

See also

• caterwaul