Swinging Glossary

Interested In Exploring Same-gender Attraction Or Play Without (Yet) Identifying As Bisexual. Common On Lifestyle Profiles, Especially For Women.

A Plain Black Ring, Usually Worn On The Right Hand, Rumored To Signal That The Wearer Is A Swinger. Like Most "Secret Symbols," It Is Unreliable; Plenty Of People Wear One Purely As Fashion.

A Colloquial Label, Usually For A Man, Who Joins A Couple For Consensual Sexual Activity, Often In Hotwife Or Cuckold Dynamics. Dominance Or Any Other Role Must Be Negotiated, Not Assumed.

Older Club Terms For Where Play Happens. Closed Usually Means Partners Play In Separate Rooms; Open Means Everyone Plays In The Same Room. Usage Varies, So Many People Now Just Say "Separate Room" Or "Same Room."

An Event, Club Night Or Party That Admits Only Couples, Not Single Men Or Single Women.

A Consensual Sexual Or Erotic Dynamic Involving A Person Whose Partner Has Sex With Others, Sometimes Incorporating Humiliation, Voyeurism Or Compersion; Terminology And Preferences Vary Considerably.

A Person, Often A Woman, Who Derives Consensual Erotic Interest From Their Partner Having Sexual Experiences With Others.

Deriving Sexual Or Erotic Enjoyment From Being Observed; Ethical Exhibitionism Requires The Observer's Consent And Appropriate Context.

A Threesome With Two Women And One Man. A Common (But Not Universal) Convention: FFM Means The Women Also Play With Each Other; FMF Means Both Women Focus Only On The Man. Always Confirm.

Swinging That May Include Intercourse With Other Partners. Also Called Hard Swap. It Does Not Mean Every Activity Is Permitted; Everyone Agrees To Specific Limits.

"Good, Giving And Game," A Phrase Coined By Sex Columnist Dan Savage For A Partner Who Is Sexually Generous And Open To Trying Things Within Consensual Limits.

Permission From A Partner To Have A Sexual Experience With Someone Else, Often One-time Or Limited. Used In Swinging And Open Relationships.

A Consensual Relationship Dynamic In Which A Woman Has Sexual Experiences With People Other Than Her Partner, With Her Partner's Knowledge And Agreement; Participation Is Optional.

"In Search Of." Used In Profiles And Ads ("ISO Couples For Soft Swap").

A Party Described In Popular Culture Where Keys Are Drawn To Pair People With Partners. Accounts Mix Folklore And Reported Practice; The Label Never Replaces Individual Consent.

The Term The Swinging Community Uses For Itself. Note That Some Kink Communities Also Call Kink "The Lifestyle," Which Can Cause Confusion.

A Resort, Hotel Or Cruise That Is Adults-only And Swinger-friendly, Or A Regular One Booked For A Lifestyle Group.

A Social Gathering Where Lifestyle People Meet, Usually Without Sexual Activity At The Gathering. Check The Organizer's Format And Rules.

A Threesome With Two Men And One Woman. A Common Convention: MFM Means The Men Interact Only With The Woman; MMF Means The Men Also Play With Each Other. Always Confirm.

"No Strings Attached." Sex Without Expectations Of A Relationship Or Ongoing Contact.

A Swinger Club Or Event That Works Like A Bar Or Nightclub For Meeting People. Sexual Activity Is Not Allowed On Site; People Who Connect Go Elsewhere.

A Swinger Club With Private And Group Play Areas Where Members Can Have Sex On Site.

Two Or More Couples Having Sex With Their Own Partners In The Same Room Or Bed, Without Swapping. Some People Call This Soft Swing.

Combining Sex With Recreational Drug Use. It Carries Serious Health And Consent Risks; Many Clubs And Groups Ban It.

A Designated Area At A Club, Party Or House Where Sexual Activity Is Allowed.

A Multi-day Lifestyle Convention Or Social Weekend, Usually At A Hotel Or Resort.

Same Room Means Partners Agree To A Shared Space. Partners Agree To Play In Separate Rooms Or Spaces. Couples May Set Check-in Plans, Time Limits, Or Other Boundaries Beforehand. The Style Itself Does Not Establish What Is Allowed.

A Person Attending Or Playing In The Lifestyle Without A Partner Present. Many Events Limit Single Men And Welcome Single Women.

A Couple-specific Agreement That Allows Some Forms Of Partnered Sexual Activity Usually Oral Only With Others While Excluding Intercourse As Defined By That Couple. The Exact Boundary Can Differ, So People Should State What They Mean Rather Than Assume.

A Person, Often A Male Partner, Who Enjoys Their Female Partner Having Sexual Experiences With Others, Typically Without The Humiliation Component Associated With Some Cuckolding Dynamics.

A Form Of Consensual Non-monogamy Traditionally Focused Primarily On Recreational Sexual Activity With Others, Often Involving Couples.

When A Lifestyle Group Or Promoter Books An Entire Hotel, Resort Or Venue So The Event Can Run Privately.

A Single Bisexual Woman Who Joins A Couple. Common In Swinging; In Polyamory The Term Is Often Used Critically (See Polyamory: Unicorn Hunter).

A Popular Swinger Symbol, Seen On Clothing, Jewelry And Cruise-ship Cabin Doors. It Is Widely Recognized But Not Foolproof; Some People Display Pineapples Without Knowing The Meaning.

The Partner Having Consensual Sexual Experiences With Others In A Stag-and-vixen Dynamic; Presence, Participation And Power Roles Vary.

Deriving Consensual Sexual Or Erotic Enjoyment From Watching Others Engage In Intimate Activity; All Participants Must Consent To Being Observed.