Dictionary

tomcat en · NOUN

From Tom + cat, popularised by The Life and Adventures of a Cat (1760), by an anonymous author, in which the male cat was called Tom.

A tom (male cat).
(informal) A promiscuous man.
(qualifier:Southeast Asia) An insect of the order Coleoptera referring to certain species of rove beetles, particularly in the genus Paederus, known for secreting a potent irritant, pederin, which can cause severe skin irritation and blistering when contacted.

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
Tom cat		alternative, archaic	lexicographic
tom-cat		alternative	lexicographic
tom cat		alternative	lexicographic
tomcats	Number=Plur		lexicographic

From Tom + cat, popularised by The Life and Adventures of a Cat (1760), by an anonymous author, in which the male cat was called Tom.

(informal, of a man) To prowl for sexual gratification.
- He would not go roaming the streets tom-catting like Mr Schick. 1985, Peter Carey, Illywhacker, Faber and Faber, published 2003, page 539:

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
tomcats	Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres		lexicographic
tomcatting	Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part		lexicographic
tom-cat		alternative	lexicographic
Tom cat		alternative, archaic	lexicographic
tom cat		alternative	lexicographic
tomcatted	Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part		lexicographic
tomcatted	Tense=Past		lexicographic