Poly Glossary

A - B - C

Closed Relationship:
An agreement between or among members not to become sexually and/or romantically involved with anyone outside the relationship.

Compersion:
The opposite of jealousy; the feelings of happiness that your lover(s) are also loving and being loved by other lovers. Coined by the Keristan Commune of San Francisco, which practiced polyfidelity and was disbanded in the early 1990s.

Condom Commitment:
Agreement to confine exchange of bodily fluids and barrier-free intercourse to a closed group whose members have been screened for sexually transmitted diseases. A.k.a. safe-sex circle.

E - F - G

Expanded Family:
Where three or more people choose to live as a family unit. This usually involves a commitment between each of the partners and decisions are usually made by mutual consent. The term expanded family is also used to describe the core family and their closest supporting friends/ families/lovers.

FF:
A dyad where both partners are female

FFF:
A triad with three females, possibly a V centering on the middle female

FFM:
A triad of a Female, another Female, and a Male, possibly a V centering on the middle female

FMF:
A triad of a Female, a Male, and another Female, possibly a V centering on the middle male

FMM:
A triad of a Female, a Male, and another Male, possibly a V centering on the middle male

Group Marriage:
A marriage involving more than two people. Not recognized by the U.S. government or most major religions in western society. Many people do it anyway, often making legal agreements that function similarly to the legalities involved in a usual marriage. Group marriages, just like couple marriages, may or may not be open to other partners.

H - I - J

Homosexuality:
Sexual desire toward another of the same sex

Inclusive Relationship:
One in which all partners agree to include more lovers into their relationship.

Intentional Family:
Unrelated individuals who have joined together to establish a loving, caring family.

Intimate Network:
individuals who desire friendship and perhaps sex with their lovers and other friends, forming a web of varying connections within a social circle.

K - L - M

Lifestyle:
The typical way of life of an individual, group, or culture.

Love:
Attraction based on sexual desire, affection and tenderness felt by lovers, affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests.

Lovestyle:
A consciously thought-out and chosen type of sexual/love relationship.

MFF:
A triad with a Male, Female, and another Female, possibly a V centering on the middle female

MFM:
A triad with a Male, Female, and another Male. Possibly a V centering on the middle female

MMF:
A triad with a Male, another Male. And a Female, possibly a V centering on the middle male

MMM:
A triad with three males, possibly a V centering on the middle male

Monogamy:
A closed, two person, relationship.

Monosexual:
Relating only to one gender as potential or actual sexual and/or romantic partners (rather than bisexual).

N - O - P

Non-hierarchical polyamory:
Multiperson relationship where all have equal ties to the other.

Non-monogamy:
The practice of creating intimate relationships that may include sexuality which do not require sexual exclusivity. As a result, there may or may not be more than one such relationship occurring at a time.

NRE:
New Relationship Energy That lovely euphoria you experience when you become involved with a new love.

Open Relationship or Open Marriage:
A non-monogamous relationship or marriage. A relationship is open if there is an agreement among the members that it is acceptable to get sexually and/or romantically involved outside of the relationship. Specific rules within a relationship about such involvement are usually negotiated to best fit the people in the relationship. For instance, one or more members may want prior notification of any outside involvement by another member.

Poly:
Short for polyamorous.

Polyamory:
The non-possessive, honest, responsible ethical philosophy and practice of loving multiple people simultaneously. Based on the conscious choice of how many partners one wishes to be involved with, rather than accepting social norms that dictate monogamy as the only acceptable form of love.

Polyandry:
the state or practice of having two or more husbands at the same time.

Polyfidelity:
A group in which all partners are primary to all other partners and sexual fidelity is to the group. More primary partners can be added with the entire group's consent. Coined by the Kerista Commune.

Polygamy:
the practice of having more than one wife or husband at a time.

Polygyny:
the state or practice of having two or more wives at the same time.

PolyMarriage:
1: the state of being committed in multiple partnered relationship 2: a multiple partnered relationship where a commitment ritual was performed 3: any close or intimate multi partnered union of duration

Primary:
In a hierarchical, multiperson relationship, the primary partner is the one to whom one is most strongly bonded, often through legal marriage.

Q - R - S

Quad:
a multiple partnered relationship with four members.

Secondary:
The person or people with whom one is involved without the emotional, legal or economic commitments of primary bonding.

Serial Monogamy:
Succession of monogamous partners over time; overlapping sexuality only in the transition from the current to the next partner.

T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

Tertiary Relationship:
A friendly but casual sexualove relationship of an occasional or temporary nature.

Triad:
"Marriage" of three people with equal commitments to each other.

Tribe:
A social group that has a strong sense of identity and may have a family arrangement as its core.

Vee:
Three people in a relationship, where the "pivot point" partner is strongly involved with the other two, and they less so with each other.