noun General Slang

Cake-Eater

/ˈkeɪkˌiː.tər/ · noun · slang

A flapper-era dandy, the smooth, idle ladies' man who lived for parties and easy charm.

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Definitions

1

A foppish young man who frequents tea dances and parties, more interested in flirting than working; a lady-killer.

“That cake-eater spent the whole afternoon charming the chaperones.”
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2

A dandy or sheik, overly concerned with clothes, manners and impressing women.

“Look at this cake-eater in his spats and slicked hair.”
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3

Mildly contemptuous, an idle pretty-boy living off others.

“She wanted a hard worker, not some lounging cake-eater.”
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Cake-Eater In A Sentence

The cake-eater knew every dance step but never held a job.
Don't fall for that cake-eater's smooth lines.
He dressed like a cake-eater and tipped like a millionaire.

Origin & Usage

1920s American slang for a ladies' man or dandy, the type who turned up where the cake and tea were served. It is documented in Jazz Age glossaries and H.L. Mencken's surveys; 'sheik' was a near-synonym for the same flashy male type.

Variants cake eater
Tags #1920s#flapper#jazz-age#vintage#insult#courtship

People Also Ask

What does cake-eater mean in 1920s slang?

It means a smooth, idle ladies' man or dandy who frequented parties and tea dances.

Is cake-eater an insult?

It is mildly mocking, implying the man is more decorative and flirtatious than hardworking.

What is the female equivalent of a cake-eater?

There is no exact match, but the flapper and the 'vamp' covered some of the same flirtatious, fashionable ground for women.

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