Kink Glossary

Physical And Emotional Care Provided After A BDSM Scene To Help Participants Recover, Reconnect And Address Their Needs.

Role Play Between Consenting Adults Using Different Adult-assumed Ages Or Caregiving Roles. It May Be Nonsexual; All Participants Are Adults.

An Umbrella Term Covering Bondage & Discipline, Dominance & Submission, And Sadism & Masochism.

Any Form Of Consensual Restraint, From Soft Cuffs To Elaborate Rope.

The Person Who Receives An Activity Or Sensation During A BDSM Scene; Being A Bottom Does Not Automatically Mean Being Submissive.

A Submissive Person Who Enjoys Playful, Provocative Or Deliberately Challenging Behaviour As Part Of A Negotiated Dynamic.

A Dominant Who Enjoys Responding To A Bratty Submissive's Playful Challenges Within A Consensual Dynamic.

A Collar Worn As A Symbol Of A Committed D/S Or M/s Relationship, Sometimes Compared To A Wedding Ring.

Negotiated Adult Role Play In Which Consent Appears Absent. Prior Agreement Never Removes The Right To Stop; Ongoing Consent, Clear Limits And An Effective Stop Signal Remain Essential.

A Written Record Of Negotiated Roles, Limits And Responsibilities. It Does Not Waive Ongoing Consent Or Create Ownership Of A Person. This Glossary Is Not Legal Advice.

An Activity Someone Is Interested In Discussing Or Potentially Exploring But Has Not Agreed To Participate In.

A Dynamic Where One Partner (Dominant) Holds Negotiated Authority And The Other (Submissive) Consensually Yields It. By Convention The D Is Capitalized And The S Lowercase.

An Adult Consensual Power-exchange Or Caregiving Role Involving Parental-style Authority Or Nurturing; It Does Not Imply An Actual Familial Relationship.

A Person Who Consensually Takes A Position Of Authority Or Control Within A BDSM Dynamic.

A Period Of Emotional Or Physical Low Experienced After An Intense Scene; Experiences Vary, And The Term Does Not Identify A Single Proven Physiological Cause.

A Play Space, Private Or Semi-public, Equipped For BDSM.

A Trained Person Who Supervises A Play Party, Enforces Rules And Can Stop An Unsafe Scene.

Activities With Higher Physical Or Psychological Risk That Need Extra Knowledge And Precautions. What Counts As Edge Play Varies By Person.

Strong Sexual Interest In A Specific Object, Material, Body Part Or Situation (Such As Feet, Latex Or Leather).

A Social Networking Site For The Kink Community, Used To Find Groups, Events, Munches And Educational Discussions.

An Activity, Behaviour Or Circumstance That A Person Does Not Consent To Under Any Circumstances.

Striking The Body For Sensation, By Hand Or With Implements Such As Paddles, Floggers Or Canes.

Kink Is The Umbrella Term For Consensual Non-conventional Erotic Practices; A Kinkster Is Someone Who Practices Kink.

A Therapist, Doctor Or Other Professional Who Is Knowledgeable And Non-judgmental About Kink. NCSF Maintains A Directory.

A Person Who Adopts A Younger Persona Within Consensual Adult Role-play.

A Person Who Derives Consensual Pleasure From Receiving Pain, Intense Sensation Or Psychological Intensity.

Titles Sometimes Used By People In Dominant Roles, Particularly In Authority-based Or Master/slave Dynamics.

A Casual Social Meetup Of Kink-interested People In A Public, Vanilla Setting Such As A Restaurant. No Play Happens; It Is The Usual Starting Point For Newcomers.

Discussing Desires, Limits, Risks, Stop Signals And Care Before Activity, With Everyone Able To Understand And Freely Choose. Agreement Remains Revisable During The Activity.

A Consensual BDSM Dynamic In Which One Person Is Symbolically Or Relationally Regarded As Owning Another.

Role Play In Which A Person Takes On The Behaviors Of An Animal (Such As A Puppy Or Kitten), Often With A Handler Or Owner.

Play Is Any Kink Activity; A Play Party Is An Event Where Attendees Can Engage In Kink, Usually With House Rules And Monitors.

The Consensual Transfer Of Authority From One Person To Another, For A Scene Or As An Ongoing Relationship. The Foundation Of D/S.

"Personal Responsibility, Informed Consensual Kink," A Consent Framework Stressing That Each Person Is Responsible For Understanding The Risks They Accept.

Agreed Rules Of Behavior Within A Dynamic, Such As Forms Of Address Or Rituals.

A Person Who Performs Rope Bondage.

A Framework That Recognises That Some Kink Activities Carry Unavoidable Risks And Emphasises Informed Consent And Awareness Of Those Risks.

Taking On Characters Or Scenarios For Erotic Or Emotional Purposes (Teacher/student, Interrogation, Strangers).

Rope Bondage; Shibari (Or Kinbaku) Refers To Japanese-style Rope Bondage, Which Emphasizes Aesthetics And Technique.

A Person Who Enjoys Being Tied Or Restrained With Rope.

A Person Who Derives Consensual Pleasure From Causing Pain, Intense Sensation Or Psychological Intensity To A Willing Partner.

A Person Who Enjoys Both Consensually Giving And Receiving Pain.

A Safety Plan When Meeting A New Partner Privately: A Trusted Friend Expects A Check-in At A Set Time And Acts If It Doesn't Come.

A Predetermined Gesture, Word Or Action Used To Communicate Consent, Discomfort, Pause Or Stopping.

A Traditional BDSM Safety Framework Emphasising Safety, Mental Capacity And Explicit Consent.

A Pre-agreed Word Or Signal Used To Communicate That An Activity Needs To Slow Down, Pause Or Stop. Consent Can Also Be Withdrawn Without Using The Agreed Word Or Signal.

A Planned Session Of Kink Play. "The Scene" Can Also Mean The Kink Community Itself.

Play That Heightens Or Removes Sensations, Such As Feathers, Ice, Wax Or Blindfolds.

A Service Top Performs Acts At The Bottom's Request To Please Them; A Power Bottom Receives The Action While Directing The Scene.

A Role In Some BDSM Relationships Involving Consensually Surrendered Authority Or Control; Usage Varies Significantly Between Individuals And Communities.

An Activity That A Person May Potentially Explore Under Specific Conditions, With Caution Or Additional Negotiation.

A Person Who Consensually Gives Some Degree Of Control Or Authority To Another Person Within A BDSM Dynamic.

Community Terms For Altered Focus, Immersion Or Euphoria During Play. Experiences Vary. Someone Whose Decision-making Is Impaired May Be Unable To Give New Consent.

A Person Who Enjoys Taking Both Dominant And Submissive Roles, Depending On The Partner, Activity, Mood Or Situation.

The Person Who Performs Or Administers An Activity During A BDSM Scene; Being A Top Does Not Automatically Mean Being Dominant.

A Sometimes-critical Label For A Bottom Directing Activity Beyond An Agreed Role. Communicating Needs, Setting Boundaries Or Withdrawing Consent Must Never Be Dismissed Using This Label.

A Negotiated Dynamic Extending Authority Into Many Areas Of Life. Despite The Name, Participants Retain Boundaries, Autonomy And The Right To Withdraw Consent.

In Kink, Conventional Or Non-kink Activity, Or Someone Not Involved In Kink. In Swinging, It May Mean Someone Outside The Lifestyle. Usage Is Relative And Not A Value Judgment.