Large wild cats native to the Americas, also known as mountain lions or pumas. In slang usage, refers to older women who date significantly younger men.
From French 'couguar', borrowed from Tupi 'susuarana' or a similar South American indigenous language. The slang meaning emerged in the early 2000s, metaphorically comparing older women pursuing younger men to the hunting behavior of the predatory cat.
Cougars are one of the few wild animals that purr like house cats, despite their size - they cannot roar because they lack the specialized larynx structure of true 'big cats' like lions and tigers. The slang term 'cougar' for older women dating younger men spawned an entire reality TV subgenre and changed dating vocabulary permanently.
The slang term 'cougar' (older woman pursuing younger men) emerged in early 2000s media as a pejorative sexualized label. The parallel term for men ('silver fox') carries admiration rather than predatory framing, revealing gendered double standards in aging discourse.
Avoid the slang when discussing age, attraction, or relationships; it reduces women to predatory stereotypes. Use neutral language: 'older woman' or specific context without sexualized framing.
["older woman","woman dating younger partner","May-December relationship"]
Women's sexuality across life stages has been historically controlled and shamed; reclaiming narratives of older women's agency is important, but slang rooted in animal predation undermines this.
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