Metrosexuals

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term describing urban individuals, typically men, who exhibit a strong sense of fashion and grooming, often embracing traditionally feminine attributes
2. Referring to members of the urban demographic who invest significant time and money in their appearance, showing trends in style and personal care
3. Identifying a cultural phenomenon of men living in metropolitan areas who prioritize aesthetics, fashion, and grooming, transcending conventional masculinity norms

Etymology: Mark Simpson, a British writer, coined "metrosexual" in 1994 as a blend of "metropolitan" and "heterosexual." The new word described a straight man who took an interest in grooming, clothing and style, and who lived in a city where those habits were on show. Simpson's coinage was a deliberate piece of wordplay, and it caught the attention of the press in the early 2000s, when the term enjoyed a brief spell of popularity. "Metrosexuals" is simply the plural of "metrosexual," so it refers to more than one such man. The word is a clean example of how English blends two existing words into one, with the first half pointing to the place and the second to the kind of person.