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I'm looking for a word or brief phrase that means someone who dates/pursues/has relationships with women much younger than himself. If the word happens to be gender neutral (not specific to a particular gender) that's fine, but doesn't need to be.

While "manther" (a recent mutation on the word "cougar") is a lovely modern word, I cannot use it because I need a word that would fit in a historical/non-modern context. (Old, no longer commonly used words are fine). Additionally I'm planning on using it in an insult, so if the word is vulgar or slang that is fine so long as it isn't modern slang.

I've also heard the phrase, "cradle snatcher", but I don't think this quite fits.

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    There's always "lech", short for lecher. Doesn't necessarily imply a younger "target", but that's the usual assumption.
    – Hot Licks
    Feb 10, 2017 at 22:47
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    @HotLicks correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that just means they're looser with their sexual pursuits, plus it has the additional connotation of being willing to target anything old or young - nor does it imply the lecher is old. (Though 'old lech', might work).
    – Leguestaurant
    Feb 10, 2017 at 22:53
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    There are hundreds of synonyms; check a thesaurus.
    – Mitch
    Feb 10, 2017 at 22:55
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    Since historically men tended to go for much younger women, there is probably no special word just for that. The older man in 'Lolita', Humbert Humbert, is probably the direction you're thinking of. Since 'manther' sounds made up, you might as well do the same.
    – Mitch
    Feb 10, 2017 at 23:11
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    @1006a I don't think men who date 16-year-olds are usually considered pedophiles, it usually refers to people sexually attracted to pre-pubescent children.
    – Barmar
    Feb 11, 2017 at 3:26

4 Answers 4

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If the man is elderly (not middle-aged), a common expression is dirty old man. From Urban Dictionary:

An elderly man that dreams of screwing women between the ages of 15-35, or women who look like they're 15-35. Often stare at their young flesh.

I'm not sure if this really fits your need, since the usual understanding is that he just leers at the young women, they never actually date, because the women find him creepy.

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  • While its simple and does technically fit, I'd prefer a single word if possible.
    – Leguestaurant
    Feb 10, 2017 at 22:58
  • If there were already a single word, manther probably wouldn't have been created.
    – Barmar
    Feb 10, 2017 at 22:58
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    The definitions at Urban Dictionary tend not to be of the highest quality. I suggest that you link to them but paraphrase and try to give a less tendentious definition.
    – Mitch
    Feb 10, 2017 at 23:06
  • @Mitch The first two sentences are consistent with my intuititive notion, so I've removed the rest of the definition, which are more subjective.
    – Barmar
    Feb 10, 2017 at 23:08
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From Wiktionary:

sugar daddy (plural sugar daddies) noun

(slang) A man who spends money for the benefit of a relationship with an often younger romantic or sexual partner.

Usage notes:

This term typically implies that there is a romantic relationship between the two.

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I feel like @HotLicks answer is still the best given so far, though it was just a comment so I'm going to just go with that provided someone else doesn't come along with a better one:

"There's always 'lech', short for lecher. Doesn't necessarily imply a younger 'target', but that's the usual assumption."

Thanks for everyone else's input though, it is much appreciated.

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Since 1964, (according to Barbara Kipfer & Robert Chapman, Dictionary of American Slang, fourth edition [2007]), younger women married by older men have sometimes been called trophy wives—especially when the man in question has become financially successful and decided that he has outgrown his "starter wife." It would make sense that such a man might be be called a trophy hunter—but I haven't seen that term widely used in that sense.

Similarly, men who are sexually aggressive or ardent womanizers are (again, according to Kipfer & Chapman) sometimes termed wolves, so it would make sense, if such a man consistently focused on much younger women, that he might be called a big bad wolf. That, at any rate, seems to be the sense of that phrase as used by Sam the Sham.

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