Swinger, Monogamish, & 6 Other Words For Open Relationships

When you're taking your first timid steps into the land of open relationships, everything can feel overwhelming. Not only are you faced with the difficult task of opening your relationship to outside sexual and/or romantic partners without getting bogged down by jealousy, but if you spend any time with the non-monogamous community, then you'll likely be inundated with a whole new lexicon of terms. Polyamorous, polyfidelitous, ethically non-monogamous, swinging, and the list goes on.

While all of these words fall under the umbrella of open relationships, they each have a different meaning and set of rules attached. So, which word is right for you and your boo's new situation? We combed the polyglossary at More Than Two for the terms people commonly use. Read on to learn the distinctions between a polyamorous relationship, an open relationship, a monogamish relationship, and more.