ponce

Meaning

Noun

1. (slang) A man living off another's earnings, especially a woman's.
2. (slang) A man living off another's earnings, especially a woman's.
3. (slang) Synonym of poof: an effeminate gay man; any similarly effeminate man.

Verb

1. (slang) To act as a pimp.
2. (slang) To try to get rid of or sell something.
3. (slang) To borrow (something) from somebody without returning it.
4. (slang) To cadge.
5. (slang) To behave in a posh or effeminate manner.

Synonyms

pimp

fancy man

procurer

pander

souteneur

panderer

whoremonger

pandar

mac

damoiselle

Miss

damosel

Fraulein

bawd

whoremonger

bully

celestine

damozel

demoiselle

gigolo

maiden

miss

whoremaster

Pronounced as (IPA)

/pɒns/

Etymology

Uncertain, but probably an aphetic form of French alphonse (“kept man”), from the male given name Alphonse. Also sometimes connected to pounce or French pensionnaire (“pensioner, person living without working”).