He's gay. He's straight. He's Metro-Man.

What is a metrosexual? (Jake Brennan)

The newly popular media and marketing buzzword seems to mean different things to different people, but in general, a metrosexual:

• is a modern, usually single man in touch with himself and his feminine side;
• grooms and buffs his head and body, which he drapes in fashionable clothing both at work or before hitting an evening hotspot;
• has discretionary income to stay up to date with the latest hairstyles, the newest threads, and the right shaped shoes;
• confuses some guys when it comes to his sexuality;
• makes these same guys jealous of his success with the ladies -- for many metros, to interact with women is to flirt;
• impresses the women who enjoy his company with the details that make the man;

Among them:

• his appreciation for literature, cinema, or other arts
• his flair for cooking
• his savoir faire in choosing the perfect wine and music
• his eye for interior design
• is a city boy or, if living a commute away from downtown, is still urbane, if not rightly urban;
• enjoys reading men's magazines...

In general parlance, to be called metrosexual is not to be called gay, but rather sensitive, chic and cultured. In case you're counting, this ain't the first label referring to guys who fall short of the beer-drinking, fart-lighting prototype. To clarify, a few others you may have heard include:

• SNAG (Sensitive New Age Guy): A guy that women like to talk to like one of their own, and find attractive because they can. Refers more to sensitivity, without the narcissism and preening associated with metrosexuality.
• Renaissance Man: An older term referring to the early modern era, when ancient scientific and artistic knowledge was revisited in a flurry of creation. Refers to a well-rounded, sophisticated, worldly individual with interests in many areas and expertise in several. Think of artist-engineer Leonardo da Vinci.

Metrosexual is quite a capacious term. Others you may not have heard seem to zero in on one or a few aspects of the male persona. Here are a few other terms you might want to add to your growing lexicon:

• Primp (not pimp): A very well groomed guy who always has women around, but never seems to go for any one in particular. Behind his back, people speculate about his sexuality. More of a "straight gay guy" than a "gay straight guy", to use SATC terminology.
• Martha Studly (not Martha Stewart): The guy who has a set of variously sized throw pillows that not only match each other, complement the living room upholstery and decor concept (that's right, concept!), but accent the next room's assemblage as well. Hey, if it impresses the ladies, then "that's a good thing."
• Skexual: A male or female whose sexuality -- and sometimes even sex -- is so impossible to determine that s/he just seems sketchy from the get-go. Think Kumar or James Lye or Takeshi Kaneshiro.

Have fun spotting them!