Mansplain

(for a man) to explain something to a woman in the area of her own expertise.

Due to Rebecca Solnit, author of "Men Explain Things To Me."

"I'm quite familiar with turbine design requirements; please don't mansplain."

by NaturallySo March 11, 2017

Mansplain

When a man explains a subject to a woman when she is already knowledgeable in said subject but the man feels he needs to explain because she's a woman and doesn't really understand

I was at the hospital today when a man started mansplaining the nervous system to me. I have a doctorate in neuroscience.

by Jolanata May 25, 2017

Mansplain

A verbal tool, generally used by men, to speak over a woman, based on the assumption that he knows better than her. This assumption is generally because she is a woman. Note that the term is especially applicable when the man is wrong anyway.

Man: Listen, do you know the difference between a screw and a nail? Here, I can show you.
Woman: Dude, I own this hardware store. Please stop mansplaining to me.

by Ms. Activist May 4, 2017

Mansplain

A term used to describe an exaggerated definition of a simple idea given by a man to woman if he feels that she is not educated enough or would not understand the meaning of said word. The idea is generally something that the woman in very familiar with.

Man: *explains how breastfeeding works to a breastfeeding mother*

Woman: Stop mansplaining. I think I would know how breastfeeding works.

by TheUnfeminist September 22, 2017

Mansplain

An instance where a man explains something to a woman in a condescending manner when he either knows little-to-nothing on the subject, or knows far less than the woman he is talking to yet persists with an air of superiority.

Jimmy mansplained why Jenny's period pain wasn't all that bad after all.

by Eristar March 22, 2017

Mansplain

Mansplain = man + explain. When a male explains something to a female under the false pretence that he knows and understands the topic better (i.e. because he is a male). This is often done in a condescending manner that disregards her intelligence.

e.g a dude explaining to a woman how numbers work AFTER she says she tells him she's an engineer. Yes thank you for mansplaining my f-ing degree/career to me.

by telitlikeisit April 19, 2018

Mansplaining

When a man speaks condescendingly to a woman on a matter he believes her to be ignorant of, when in fact his own knowledge of the subject is materially incomplete. The possibility that she may know more about the subject than he does is one that the mansplainer cannot fathom.

Note that simple a misunderstanding, that occurs without derogatory stereotyping or condescension, is not "mansplaining," regardless of the gender of the participants in the conversation.

Jim was mansplaining to Rebecca, an astrophysicist, what causes the tides. When Rebecca's friend tried to tell him Rebecca was an astrophysicist, Jim said, "Oh! You're boyfriend's an astrophysicist. I'd like to meet him."

by Truth is Healthy March 12, 2017