(First of two entries): a man well-known for attracting women and having a huge number of lovers He captivated women; a genuine Casanova, he had five wives and scores of mistresses... — Oxford English Dictionary Casanova was a name given to many men who were famous for their skill at seduction. The term was first used in print in 1725 when it was applied to the Italian artist and gambler Giacomo Casanova. However, it did not become popular until much later when it was adopted by other notable seducers including Charles Boyer, Paul Newman, and Sylvester Stallone. People often refer to "the Casanovas of history" to describe men who have been equally renowned for their sexual prowess. While most historians consider Casanova to be a fictional character created by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, others believe him to be based on a real person known as the "French Rocambole". In addition to being admired for his skills as a lover, Casanova has also been criticized for his apparent lack of moral values. He is said to have conducted himself toward most of his female partners with strict ethical standards existing only in theory because he always ended up cheating on all of them.