Does Casanova = cad?

Does Casanova = cad?

The explosion of allegations of impropriety among men with power has got me thinking. 

When I was young (lo these many years ago) the terms defining such men didn’t always have negative connotations. Given the culture at the time, labeling men with terms like Casanova, ladies’ man, Romeo, Don Juan and even playboy wasn’t necessarily negative. Though this could reflect a naïveté on my part, I’m pretty sure it mostly reflected the patriarchal nature of the era. 

I don’t think there’s any argument that in this regard we have entered a new era.

To that end, here are some modern definitions of words you might find upon looking up synonyms for the term Casanova, Don Juan, or ladies’ man. 

cad - a man or boy whose behavior is not gentlemanly, an ill-mannered fellow, a mean, vulgar seducer

Casanova - a man of carnal adventures — a connoisseur of seduction

Don Juan - a serial seducer, also a dissolute nobleman & seducer of women - the hero of many poems, plays, & operas

gallant - initially (early 1400s) a seducer of women, then a man of fashion & pleasure, & then, a man who is particularly attentive to women, eventually a dashing man who pursues women

lady-killer - a man who is very successful at attracting women, but soon leaves them 

lecher - a man who indulges his sexual desires excessively & without restraint

libertine - one who acts without moral restraint & has no care for what others think 

Lothario - a jaunty rake

lounge lizard - an idler & pleasure seeker in search of women to support him

masher  - a man who annoys women not acquainted with him by attempting familiarities

philanderer - a man who engages in serial, insincere love affairs), 

playboy - a well-to-do man who spends much time & energy in pleasure seeking & dissipation 

poodle-faker - British army slang for an ingratiating man who flirts, especially for social or professional advancement

Romeo - a passionate admirer & seducer of women 

satyr - a lustful or lecherous man

skirt chaser - a man who habitually tries to seduce women 

smooth operator - a man who appears pleasant, relaxed and confident in an attempt to  deceive; a con artist or clever scoundrel 

wolf - a man who flirts aggressively with many women

womanizer - an adulterous man

paramour - one engaged in sexual love as distinct from other kinds of love, an illicit or secret lover 

rake - a man habituated to immoral conduct

Are all Casanovas cads? Please leave a comment.

Big thanks to this week’s sources: the OED, Wordnik, Etymonline, Merriam Webster, & Collins Dictionary.