Kept man

Kept man

A kept man is a man who is financially supported by a wealthy, usually older, person who is neither the man's spouse or close relative. Men may be kept by either a woman or by another man. Being "kept" could be seen as a form of prostitution, especially if the relationship has a sexual dimension.

In popular culture

"Kept Boy" is a novel by noted gay author Robert Rodi.

Being a "kept man" was the theme of an episode from critically acclaimed sitcom "Ellen" originally aired on January 15, 1997 called "Joe's Kept Secret". In the episode, David Anthony Higgins' character, Joe, is kept by a significantly older woman, Madelaine, played by Florence Henderson.

VH1 in 2005 aired "Kept", a reality television series featuring a dozen contestants seeking to become the kept man of supermodel Jerry Hall.

The character of Joe Gillis in ""Sunset Boulevard"" is a "kept man" who is being "kept" by Norma Desmond, a famous star.

In the movie version of "Breakfast at Tiffany's", Paul Varjak is being kept by the character of Mrs. Failenson, whom Paul introduces to Holly as his decorator.


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  • kept man — or (fem) kept woman noun A man or woman maintained financially by a romantic or sexual partner • • • Main Entry: ↑keep …   Useful english dictionary

  • kept man — noun A man, supported financially by a female lover (usually a married woman). The kept man in and out of marriage is quite a feature of life in our chaste little village. See Also: kept woman …   Wiktionary

  • kept woman — noun count OFTEN HUMOROUS a woman who is given a home and money by a man that she has a sexual relationship with: This shows that the speaker does not approve of such a relationship. People often also use kept man humorously about a man …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • (a) kept man — humorous someone who does not work and who is given money and a place to live by the person who they are having a sexual relationship with. She was determined to find work and not become a kept woman like her sister …   New idioms dictionary

  • kept woman — noun an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man • Syn: ↑mistress, ↑fancy woman • Hypernyms: ↑woman, ↑adult female, ↑lover • Hyponyms: ↑concu …   Useful english dictionary

  • kept woman — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms kept woman : singular kept woman plural kept women often humorous old fashioned a woman who is given a home and money by a man who she has a sexual relationship with. People often also use kept man humorously… …   English dictionary

  • kept — /kɛpt / (say kept) verb 1. past tense and past participle of keep. –phrase (humorous) 2. kept man, a man given financial support by his wife or partner. 3. kept woman, a. (dated) a woman given financial support and a place to live by a lover;… …  

  • Kept — Infobox Television show name = Kept caption = genre = Reality creator = Deborah Adler Myers Mark Ganshirt director = Glenn Taylor starring = Jerry Hall country = USA language = English num seasons = 1 num episodes = 10 list episodes = executive… …   Wikipedia

  • kept woman — noun A woman, supported financially by a lover (usually a married man). He said: Why bother about a career? After all, kept woman is a thoroughly respectable occupation or can be made so by any preacher or justice of the peace. . . . See Also:… …   Wiktionary

  • Man o' War — This article is about the horse named Man o War. For other uses, see Man O War. Man o War Man o War, 1920 Sire Fair Play Grandsire Hastings …   Wikipedia

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