Word
valentino
Phoneticsvalenti·no
/ˌvæɫənˈtinoʊ/
Definition
n. a man who is very handsome and successful at attracting women. It comes from the name of a famous silent movie star who was known as a great lover.
n. a man who is exceptionally handsome and successful in romantic pursuits. Derived from the screen persona of the 1920s actor Rudolph Valentino; often used with a slightly ironic or old-fashioned tone.
Examples
“He thinks he is a real Valentino with that new haircut.”
“The older generation often referred to any charming young man in a suit as a Valentino, though the term has largely faded from modern speech.”
“While the term once evoked the peak of cinematic masculinity, calling someone a Valentino today usually implies a certain performative or dated style of romantic pursuit.”
Examples
simple
“He thinks he is a real Valentino with that new haircut.”
contextual
“The older generation often referred to any charming young man in a suit as a Valentino, though the term has largely faded from modern speech.”
complex
“While the term once evoked the peak of cinematic masculinity, calling someone a Valentino today usually implies a certain performative or dated style of romantic pursuit.”
Usage
Often used with the indefinite article ('a Valentino') or as a proper noun when referring to the historical figure.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/valentino