Why do they call older woman cougar?

According to Gibson, labeling older women “cougars” actually originated in Vancouver long before Demi and Ashton hooked up. Canadians used the term “cougar” as a derogatory word for older women who hung out at bars to go home with whatever men were left lingering at the end of the night.

What do you call a woman older than you?

Again, if youre ever unsure of how to refer to someone older than you—including a family friend—you can default to “sir” or “maam.” For women, you can also use the term, “madam.” Unlike Mr., Mrs., and Ms., you dont need to include a last name or surname after sir, maam, or madame.