Vocabulary & TV: What is May-December Romance / Relationship? Ask Dr. House

House explaining May-December to Cuddy
Image from FOX

In class, I mentioned the term May-December Relationship. Students were asking me why May-December? And I told them Dr. House has the answer.

From Season 3 Episode 19,

Dr. Cuddy: I don’t get the whole May-December thing. 
Dr. House: Give me a break, it’s May-October at worst. 
Dr. Cuddy: Well, why can’t it be October-October? 
Dr. House: May is when things start to get hot.

In here, House implied two things, one is that May is literally a month of Spring (meaning young) in which the weather is starting to get hot, and the other, he's using "hot" as a synonym of "sexy".

Hence, what kind of a person does December imply? Cold, dry, lack of energy, Winter -- the last of all four seasons, the old people.

Ali and House in Season 3 Episode 3-- Lines in the Sand
Image from FOX

As to why House said May-October is worse, in an earlier episode, namely episode 3 of the same season, House had (or almost had) some romance with a much younger girl, Ali, acted by then pre-Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester (see Movie & TV: Casablanca X House M.D. - Meester X Laurie for details). That actually caused quite some trouble for House. From that, I infer his words "May-October's worse" was actually talking about Ali and himself, thus October could refers to someone at his late 40s, since House is a couple of years older than Cuddy and Cuddy was at her 40s by then.


At the end of the class, one student asked me if there is a word for those who fancies elderly people, with a quick search online and the word popped out!

Gerontophile : derives from Greek: geron, meaning "old man or woman" and philie, meaning "love".

For a few words on relationship, do visit Vocabulary & Song: Relationships & The Tennessee Waltz -- Patti Page .

Have a happy weekend!


Vocabulary:
May -- Spring; young people
December -- Winter, old people
October -- Autumn / Fall, middle-aged people
Gerontophile -- (n)[C] A person who has a sexual preference for the elderly


Resources:

Vocabulary & Song: Relationships & The Tennessee Waltz -- Patti Page @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2011/06/vocabulary-relationships-part-1.html

Movie & TV: Casablanca X House M.D. - Meester X Laurie @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2012/12/movie-tv-casablanca-x-house-md-meester.html

Dr. Cuddy: I don’t get the whole May/December... @ FY! House MD
http://fuckyeahhousemd.tumblr.com/post/182976992/dr-cuddy-i-dont-get-the-whole-may-december

Gerontophile @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerontophilia