Slang dictionary
manther
[ man-ther ]
What does manther mean?
A manther is the male version of a cougar, or a middle-aged woman who has the hots for younger men. Manthers are older men who pursue partners significantly younger than them.
Where does manther come from?
We might say 2003 was the year of the cougar, with an older Demi Moore dating a younger Ashton Kutcher at the time and an older Cameron Diaz shacking up with a younger Justin Timberlake. This phenomenon exposed a sexist double standard, though: Why is there a name for a woman who dates younger men while older men who date younger women are seen as nothing out of the ordinary?
Debate ensued—and the manther was on the linguistic prowl. It had competition, though. One Urban Dictionary user has suggested rhino because manthers are usually “both horny AND ugly.” Hyena and shark have been other predatory contenders. But it was manther, debuting on Urban Dictionary in 2004, that prevailed. The term is a blend of man and panther. Not only is it fun to say, but it keeps the whole older/younger relationship dyad in the cat family.
Some notable celebrities who have been said to be manthers include Prince Charles, whose late wife, Princess Diana, was 13 years his junior. Bruce Willis’s wife Emma Emming is 23 years younger. And don’t get us started on the late Hugh Hefner of Playboy fame …
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Examples of manther
Who uses manther?
Manther is mostly used as a playful term, but it can pack a punch as a way to call out sexist double standards about dating age differences and older dudes creeping on younger girls. Although manther often refers to straight men, it’s also used in the gay community to describe older guys who chase after younger men.
he is a MANTHER!! A male panther which is the male version of a female cougar 😂
— QueenBee (@BethhMichellle) January 27, 2017
The blend of man and panther as manther has seen plenty of uses in other domains. Furries may use manther for a man who dresses up as a panther. A 2016 children’s book was called Beware the Monstrous Manther! Hip-hop artists Manther dropped their eponymous debut in 2010.
OMFSM I just saw my first Furry, a Manther (man dressed as a panther). If you are confused, go here: http://www.xkcd.com/471/
— Joe Albietz (@Jalbietz) January 11, 2009
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of manther like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of manther that will help our users expand their word mastery.