by Jubilee Sparks January 31, 2019
Mansplain (verb): When a man attempts to explain something to a woman in an authoritative and condescending manner, even though what is being is explained is already understood by that woman as a result of her professional expertise and/or lived experiences, due to a sexist belief that a woman always needs to be told by man how something really works, or in an attempt to undermine the seriousness of sexist behavior and reinforce male authority.
As in, “He mansplained the pain of child birth as beautiful to my sister who had just given birth to her daughter.”
Or, “Most of the Urban Dictionary definitions for mansplain are clear attempts to mansplain away a sexist way of talking to women and sexism in general."
Or, “Most of the Urban Dictionary definitions for mansplain are clear attempts to mansplain away a sexist way of talking to women and sexism in general."
by Chris inCO October 22, 2017
(Of a man) To explain something to a woman in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing. What sets mansplaining apart from a man simply explaining something or giving an opinion is that the mansplainer typically has less knowledge of the topic than the party he is explaining it to, but has assumed that because she is female she cannot comprehend the topic as well as a man could.
Exampes of what is NOT mansplaining:
1) A man explaining how to use a power tool to a woman who needs help using it.
2) A man expressing an opinion on a subjective topic or engaging in a debate with a woman about a topic about which they have similar levels of knowledge
Examples of what IS manplaining:
1) A man who has no formal knowledge of automobile repairs explaining to his female mechanic how an engine works.
2) A man who has never studied gynecology explaining to a woman how she should feel when she is on her period.
Exampes of what is NOT mansplaining:
1) A man explaining how to use a power tool to a woman who needs help using it.
2) A man expressing an opinion on a subjective topic or engaging in a debate with a woman about a topic about which they have similar levels of knowledge
Examples of what IS manplaining:
1) A man who has no formal knowledge of automobile repairs explaining to his female mechanic how an engine works.
2) A man who has never studied gynecology explaining to a woman how she should feel when she is on her period.
Female physicist: "I was giving a lecture on Thermodynamics at the university, and afterwards this guy who had taken one class on the subject pulled me aside and tried to mansplain my own theories to me."
by CrayolaCastle October 14, 2017
Mansplaining is, at its core, a very specific thing. It's what occurs when a man talks condescendingly to someone (especially a woman) about something he has incomplete knowledge of, with the mistaken assumption that he knows more about it than the person he's talking to does. A common mistake.
A man who has seen a couple superhero movies gives a long explanation of Spiderman to a woman who has read all the comics and seen all the Marvel movies. He may be right, but she doesn't need the explanation, and his assumption that she wouldn't know the basics seems offensive to her. He has mansplained Spiderman to a comic nerd.
by Well, September 14, 2017
A delightful mixture of privilege and ignorance that leads to condescending, inaccurate assertions of sexism, delivered with the rock-solid conviction of rightness and that slimy certainty that of course "he must be sexist, because he is the man in this conversation".
Man- "I just think that insults designed to undermine and ridicule one particular group of people based on their sex are are inherently unjustifiable and..."
Karen Healy- "don't mansplain "mansplaining" to me you sexist bastard!"
Karen Healy- "don't mansplain "mansplaining" to me you sexist bastard!"
by insertwittyscreenname May 19, 2017
To mansplain is to interrupt a female's speech in a condescending fashion, only to interject sexist, redundant, or belittling remarks into a conversation with no actual benefit to either person in said conversation.
"So there I was, discussing with the mechanic the issues I had been having with my transmission, when my boyfriend jumps in and starts mansplaining to us about how combustion engines work. He wasted a good 15 minutes of her time....."
by SaffronTangerine September 14, 2017
A term used to describe what is considered a male behavioural tendency when talking to females to overexplain, to talk down to or in a condescending manner, often with the assumption that the female interlocutor lacks knowledge or is unable to understand or comprehend complex subjects or logical thinking.
Sometimes also associated with prideful male pontification and a desire to appear knowledgable, and often linked to a tendency to ignore the central or most important issue(s) at hand and focus on or divert the conversation to easy to quantify but non crucial elements.
The term is also noted for the strong reaction it often engenders.
Sometimes also associated with prideful male pontification and a desire to appear knowledgable, and often linked to a tendency to ignore the central or most important issue(s) at hand and focus on or divert the conversation to easy to quantify but non crucial elements.
The term is also noted for the strong reaction it often engenders.
1. Darling, you’re mansplaining. I have a degree in electrical engineering and I know how a toaster works. But, if you thinks it’s fine, we can buy it.
2. He was so busy mansplaining how important the side mirrors are, he backed into the neighbour’s car.
3. I don’t care how the gun works, just stop mansplaining it and let me watch the movie.
2. He was so busy mansplaining how important the side mirrors are, he backed into the neighbour’s car.
3. I don’t care how the gun works, just stop mansplaining it and let me watch the movie.
by Auctor February 12, 2019