manspreading
n. The act of a man sitting with his knees spread widely apart, particularly when this crowds people next to him or prevents someone from taking an adjacent seat.
Also Seen As
man-spreading
Other Forms
manspread v.manspreader n.
Examples
2014
Any woman travelling by public transport will be aware of manspreading — where a male passenger sits with his legs splayed out, totally oblivious to the woman next to him who’s forced to double cross her legs for lack of space.
—Radhika Sanghani, “'Ban manspreading': Londoners want men to sit with their legs together on the Tube,” The Telegraph (London), December 23, 2014
2014
Taking on manspreading for the first time, the authority is set to unveil public service ads that encourage men to share a little less of themselves in the city's ever-crowded subways cars. …

For Kelley Rae O'Donnell, an actress who confronts manspreaders and tweets photos of them, her solitary shaming campaign now has the high-powered help of the transportation authority, whose ads will be plastered inside subway cars.
—Emma G. Fitzsimmons, “A Scourge Is Spreading. M.T.A.’s Cure? Dude, Close Your Legs.,” The New York Times, December 20, 2014
2013
Manspreading spotted!
—Paulloz est Charlie, “Manspreading spotted,” Twitter, October 09, 2013
2010 (earliest)
Man Spread

Where a dude sits down on a chair and spreads out his legs to make a V shape with them.

"Dude I need to man spread, I have been on my feet all day."
—Czechyourself, “Man Spread,” Urban Dictionary, April 08, 2010
Notes
Manspreading is also known as mansplaying or, simply, man-sitting.

Taking pictures of men caught in the act of manspreading has become a new Internet pastime. For lots of examples, see the Tumblrs Men Taking Up Too Much Space On the Train, One Bro Two Seats, and the cheeky Saving Room for Cats.

Source: Men Taking Up Too Much Space On the Train/Tumblr.


Source: Saving Room For Cats/Tumblr.


An ad from New York's campaign to stop manspreading.
Filed Under
men and women
Posted: January 08, 2015