noun
cad
kad
noun
1
(dated) A man who behaves dishonorably, especially toward women.
"He was branded a cad after abandoning her at the altar."
How to Use Cad
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old-fashioned word for an ungentlemanly, dishonest man, especially one who mistreats women.
When to use it
Now mostly used humorously or in period settings.
Common pairings
a bit of a cad
act like a cad
Word Forms
cadded past tense, cads plural, cads singular
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He was branded a _____ after abandoning her at the altar.
Etymology
Shortened from "caddie," ultimately from French cadet, meaning "chief" or "captain" in an older dialect form.