Glossary
Terms from kink, BDSM and ethical non-monogamy, explained without judgement and with sources. Each term links to the guides that go deeper.
0–9
- 4Cs (Caring, Communication, Consent, Caution)The 4Cs stands for Caring, Communication, Consent and Caution, and it is described as one of the less well…
A
- AftercareAftercare, which often includes affectionate and caretaking behaviours, is a way of decompressing after a…
B
- BDSMBDSM is a variety of often erotic practices or roleplaying involving bondage, discipline, dominance and…
- Brat / brat tamerA brat, or someone who is bratting, is a submissive who behaves disobediently, mischievously or…
C
- CompersionCompersion is a term coined by members of the polyamorous community to describe an empathetic state of…
- ConsentWithin BDSM, consent is the explicit and informed agreement by a participant to engage in specific acts or…
D
- D/s (dominance/submission)Dominance and submission (D/s) is a set of behaviours, customs and rituals involving the submission of one…
- Dominant (Dom/Domme)In dominance and submission (D/s), those who take the superior position are called dominants, known as Doms…
E
- Ethical non-monogamy / CNMConsensual non-monogamy (CNM) consists of consensual agreements between adults to engage in multiple…
H
- Hard limit / soft limitA soft limit is something a person hesitates about or places strict conditions on, but for which they may…
K
- KinkKink is the use of sexual practices, concepts or fantasies that are not conventional
M
- Masochism / masochistMasochism is the derivation of pleasure from receiving pain or humiliation
- MunchA munch, from "Meeting Over Lunch", is a casual social gathering for people involved in or interested in…
N
- NegotiationNegotiation is the discussion held before BDSM activity in which partners talk through their interests and…
- Non-verbal safe signalA non-verbal safe signal, also known as a silent safeword, is a simple gesture, such as clapping hands or…
O
- Open relationshipAn open relationship is one in which one or more parties have permission to be romantically or sexually…
P
- PolyamoryPolyamory is the practice of maintaining committed romantic and/or sexual relationships with more than one…
R
- RACK (Risk-Aware Consensual Kink)Risk-aware consensual kink (RACK) is a model of consent in BDSM that is generally permissive of certain…
- Role playRole play is the changing of one's behaviour to assume a different role, either unconsciously to fill a…
S
- Sadism / sadistSadism, as described in research on everyday sadism, is a personality trait characterised by the enjoyment…
- SafewordIn BDSM, a safeword is a code word, series of code words or other signal used by a person to communicate…
- SceneA scene is a specific period of time, agreed to by both parties, during which BDSM actions take place, and…
- Sensation playSensation play, also known as sensual play or sensory play, is an act where senses are engaged in various…
- Shibari / kinbakuShibari is a Japanese word that broadly means binding or tying, and in BDSM it refers to a style of…
- SSC (Safe, Sane, Consensual)SSC, short for safe, sane and consensual, is a motto that many BDSM practitioners and organisations have…
- Sub drop / Dom dropSub drop is a strong physical and emotional response experienced by a participant in a BDSM scene, and tops…
- Submissive (sub)In dominance and submission (D/s), the people who take the subordinate position are called submissive, or subs
- Subspace / topspaceSubspace is the trance-like mental state that can accompany BDSM activity for the submissive, and domspace…
- SwitchA switch is someone who can act as both a top and a bottom
T
- Top / bottomTop and bottom are terms for the giving and receiving roles during a BDSM activity, and they do not describe…
V
- VanillaVanilla is a colloquial term for conventional sex, meaning sexual behaviour within the range of normality…