Dating Slang Glossary

by Harry Laurent

It amazes me how the world of dating and relationships has developed a jargon all of its
own. Here is a deciphered list of dating slang to keep you in the know.

abundant love- the syndrome of having too much love to share with just one person.
Commonly known as polygamy or non-monogamy.

availability index- contrasting the the number of men looking for a female partner and
the number of women looking for a male partner ie. the dating pool.

avatar- the persona an individual uses to attract a woman, or the character used to
represent an individual in cyberspace. Derived from the Sanskrit word 'avatara' meaning
heavenly spirit inhabiting human body.

bailing out- the act of leaving a relationship

besotted- a crush or infatuation with another individual.

Casanova- popular male who is highly successful in courting women.

casual dating- interaction between individuals who want to get to know each other
better with potential for an intimate relationship developing. Different from 'friend with
benefits' which implies a mutual no-strings-attached interaction.

catch and release- the gradual escape from a short term relationship, similar to the
release of an undersized trout.

daliance- short duration relationship or inconsequential affair eg. one-night-stand

exing- the addiction to a former partner and inability to separate even after the
relationship has clearly ended.

friend with benefits- mutually indulgent interludes with no-strings-attached.

hen peck- a woman who nags her partner

high maintenance- relationship that requires an excessive amount of time, emotional

or financial resources.
hooking up- multiple definitions ranging from regular dating to casual dating and non-
monogamous sex. May require clarification.

jilt- the act of breaking up.

kavorka- man who has unusual and unexpected success with women. Term coined in
the TV series 'Seinfeld'.

kino- short for the 'kinaesthetic approach'. Well described in seduction texts as a
method of using gentle, non-threatening touches of the skin or hair to lure a woman into
bed.

kiss and tell- sharing the details of a relationship.

Lothario- see Casanova

lovesick- the emotional pain and turmoil of unrequited love.

May December romance- relationship in which the individuals' age gap is larger than
what is socially is expected.

NRE- 'new relationship energy'- the blissful infatuation that is attached to the the early
stages of a relationship.

old flame- an ex partner

open relationship- consensual adultery where both partners agree that sexual fidelity
and exclusivity are not expected.

out of pocket- being out of touch with reality or the situations eg. arriving to a date at
the opera in gym gear.

pansexual- person who is open to many different sexual activities or a person who
attracted to individuals regardless of their gender or sexual orientation (including
transgender and gender-fluid persons).

paramour- a love that is attached to someone else eg. concubine.

pash- multiple potential meanings that include infatuation, girlfriend or French kiss.

peacocking- the flashy clothing and adapted over-the-top behaviour a male exhibits in
order to attract female attention.

philemaphobia- fear of kissing or being kissed.

sailors elbow- the act of ending a relationship.

textationship- relationship that is based on SMS and avoids use of face-to-face, online
or call-based interaction.

umfriend- a person you have had sexual relations with but not yet defined the
relationship. Common introduction to others is "This is my ... um... friend!"

yoke- to mate with or form a solid bond.

zelophobia- the fear of jealousy.

Hope you found my short list helps you to unravel the dating code.

Happy hunting!

Harry

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