Consent
A clear, freely made choice to take part in a specific sexual interaction. It can be withdrawn or changed.
- Also found as
- sexual consent, affirmative consent
- Related
- Boundary · Safeword
The glossary · 24 useful terms
SEX & RELATIONSHIP
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Sexual boundary
A limit, condition, or preference a person names about their own sexual participation. A boundary describes the individual’s limit; a mutual agreement describes what people decide together.
- Also found as
- boundary, sexual boundaries, personal limit
- Related
- Consent · Safeword · Communication
Safeword
A pre-agreed word or signal used to pause or stop an activity. It never replaces or overrides a clear no, stop, withdrawal, distress, freezing, or any other verbal or nonverbal stop signal.
- Also found as
- safe word, stop word
- Related
- Consent · Boundary · Aftercare
Fantasy
An imagined situation, feeling, or theme that may be interesting to think about. Having a fantasy does not automatically mean wanting to act on it.
- Also found as
- sexual fantasy
- Related
- Kink · Roleplay · Curiosity
Kink
A broad umbrella for consensual adult interests, fantasies, dynamics, or play that sit outside a person’s usual sexual script. Kink is not automatically a fetish or BDSM.
- Also found as
- kinky, kinky sex
- Not the same as
- Fetish · BDSM
Fetish
A pronounced erotic focus on a particular object, body feature, material, situation, or stimulus. The term by itself is not a diagnosis.
- Also found as
- sexual fetish
- Not the same as
- Kink
BDSM
An umbrella term that can include bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism. Meanings and practices vary widely.
- Also found as
- B/D, D/s, S/M
- Related
- Dominance · Submission · Safeword
Dominance
A consensual role or dynamic in which a person takes a guiding or directive role within agreed limits.
- Also found as
- dom, dominant
- Related
- Submission · Switch · Consent
Submission
A consensual role or dynamic in which a person chooses to yield some direction or control within agreed limits.
- Also found as
- sub, submissive
- Related
- Dominance · Switch · Consent
Aftercare
Intentional care, connection, space, or check-in after an intense or emotionally charged experience. What helps differs from person to person.
- Also found as
- post-scene care
- Related
- Safeword · Boundary · Check-in
Ethical non-monogamy
An umbrella for relationship structures in which more than one sexual or romantic connection is possible with the knowledge and agreement of the people affected. A private fantasy alone is not an ENM relationship structure.
- Also found as
- ENM, CNM, consensual non-monogamy
- Related
- Open relationship · Swinging
Hotwife
A term used by some adults for a consensual non-monogamy dynamic. Its meaning, agreements, and relationship context differ between people.
- Also found as
- hot wife, hotwifing
- Related
- Stag & vixen · Cuckold · ENM
Responsive desire
Desire that tends to appear after appealing stimulation, closeness, or arousal has begun, rather than arriving first as a spontaneous urge.
- Also found as
- responsive sexual desire
- Related
- Arousal · Desire
Arousal
Mental or physical activation connected with sexual interest. Thoughts, feelings, and body responses can arrive together—or not.
- Also found as
- sexual arousal, turned on
- Related
- Desire · Orgasm
Orgasm
A peak of sexual pleasure often involving rhythmic muscular responses and a release of tension. Experiences vary in intensity, sensation, and duration.
- Also found as
- climax, coming
- Related
- Arousal · Pleasure
Sexual roleplay
Playing with a character, situation, identity, or relationship dynamic to create a different erotic mood.
- Also found as
- role play, bedroom roleplay
- Related
- Fantasy · Kink · Power
Bondage
Consensual restriction of movement using hands, positions, or equipment. The appeal may be physical, visual, emotional, or power-based.
- Also found as
- restraint play
- Related
- BDSM · Safeword · Submission
Switch
A person who enjoys more than one side of a power or role dynamic, such as dominance and submission, depending on partner, mood, or scene.
- Also found as
- switching
- Related
- Dominance · Submission
Open relationship
A relationship in which partners agree that some sexual or romantic connections with other people are possible. The actual agreements differ widely.
- Also found as
- open marriage, open relationship
- Related
- ENM · Swinging
Swinging
A couple-centered form of consensual non-monogamy often focused on shared social or sexual experiences with other adults.
- Also found as
- swingers, the lifestyle
- Related
- Soft swap · Full swap · ENM
Cuckold
A fantasy or consensual dynamic that centers one partner’s erotic or emotional response to the other partner’s attention or sexual connection elsewhere.
- Also found as
- cuckolding, cuck
- Related
- Hotwife · Voyeurism · Compersion
Stag and vixen
A label some couples use for a shared, team-oriented non-monogamy fantasy or dynamic, often emphasizing confidence and mutual participation.
- Also found as
- stag & vixen, stag/vixen
- Related
- Hotwife · ENM · Compersion
Compersion
Pleasure, warmth, or happiness connected with another person’s pleasure—often discussed when a partner enjoys another connection.
- Also found as
- compersive joy
- Related
- Jealousy · ENM
Jealousy
An emotional response to a perceived threat involving attention, attachment, comparison, or loss. It can mix fear, anger, sadness, desire, and uncertainty.
- Also found as
- sexual jealousy, romantic jealousy
- Related
- Compersion · Reassurance · Boundary
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