Dictionary of new words

MAN FLU

n.
A severe cold, mistakenly self-diagnosed as the flu, particularly by a man. Also:man-flu.
Example Citations:
Psychologist Professor Geoff Beattie says: "Exaggeration is endemic. But 'man flu' is a case of self deception.
"Men appear to be conditioned to think that anything that stops them dead in their tracks must be a flu, rather than the common cold.
"A cold simply doesn't sound serious enough."
—Jane Symons, "Women also catchman-flu,"The Sun(England), November 30, 2006
There is another health crisis looming, one that is very real and threatens almost half the population, yet it goes largely unheralded.
This disease isman flu. For those unfamiliar with this insidious condition,man fluis a lot like the common cold. So much like it in fact that many believe it is just a common cold. However once it takes hold in its victim — always male as the name suggests — it is completely debilitating and only complete bed rest and mollycoddling by the nearest and dearest female can treat it.
—Naomi Toy, "Runny nose, irritable? Looks likeman flu,"The Daily Telegraph(Australia), May 5, 2006
Earliest Citation:
The season of winter chills and sniffles has arrived with a vengeance.
"The cold" has descended upon this house and I don't mean the frosty driveway or chilly mornings. This is the viral category or as a friend calls it "Man flu"!
What a truly wonderful and spot-on description.Man flu, applicable only to those who do not suffer well.
—Claire Eakins, "In search of cold comfort,"Belfast Telegraph, January 13, 2003
Related Words:
flu day
flunami
guyliner
himbo
irritable male syndrome
male answer syndrome
man breasts
man cave
man date
mancation
manny
mansplaining
mucus trooper
Categories:
Diseases and Syndromes
Men and Women