noun
libertine; man of pleasure
Rare literary term for a man devoted to sensual pleasures, especially in the pleasure quarters. Modern Japanese would more often use 遊び人 or 道楽者.
江戸時代の遊冶郎は、吉原で夜ごと遊び暮らしたという。
It is said that libertines of the Edo period spent their nights enjoying themselves in Yoshiwara.
Refers to a person devoted to a hobby or dissipation; broader than 遊冶郎, which specifically suggests sensual pleasures.
Compound of 遊 (play, amusement) and 冶郎 (a man who frequents pleasure quarters). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is associated with Edo-period pleasure quarters.