quiche-eater

English

Etymology

The idiom derives from the book on stereotypes about masculinity, Real Men Don't Eat Quiche, by Bruce Feirstein, published in 1982. The computer circle version was popularised by an 1983 article Real Programmers Don't Use Pascal, that specifically accuses the creator of Pascal language, Niklaus Wirth, of being a "quiche eater" due to the nature of Pascal.

Pronunciation

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Noun

quiche-eater (plural quiche-eaters)

1. (idiomatic) A man who is effeminate or who lacks some putative masculine virtue.
2. (computing, idiomatic, humorous) In computer programming circles, a person far removed from practice and concerned only with academic matters, unwilling to "get their hands dirty".

Synonyms

• (effeminate man): cockney, pansy, posy sniffer; see also Thesaurus:effeminate man

Related terms

• real men don't eat quiche